The Enchanted Wedding
by lavadiamond10
Summary: This is the sequel to my first story 'A Magical Love'. This story follows Belle and Adam going through a few decisions about family and planning for their wedding.
1. Remembering a Family Member

**I'm going to be a little slow putting up these chapters because I'm in college right now. So try not to bite my head off. Remember, you have to read 'A Magical Love' in order to understand this story.**

* * *

Nothing could express how excited the servants were when they found out that Prince Adam proposed to Belle, they had a hard time controlling themselves because of the excitement. While Adam was announcing to the servants, he also told them that he plans to accept his title as 'Prince'. He, and the servants, knew that after ten years of being a beast had caused him to go into hiding. Nobody outside the castle, besides Belle and her father, knew what had happened to Adam. Everyone knew it was going to difficult, but Adam was going to do all he could to get it.

After announcing the wedding to the servants, the servants all spread out in different directions to get back to their chores and Belle and Adam walked to the library. When they were alone, Adam collapsed on the armchair.

"I thought I was going to collapse!" he said, staring at the ceiling. Belle giggled at that remark.

"Well, nothing bad happened." She said.

"I know," Adam said, "The curse did not help with my fear of being crowded."

"We'll fix that." Belle said; "Just a little curious, you never told me that you lost your title as prince."

"I didn't lose it." Adam said, "I never got it." He saw Belle's face twist in confusion. "I'll explain it to you, I wasn't supposed to receive the family's crown until I turned thirteen. Since I've been under that curse, I wasn't able to go to the main castle to receive it."

"How are you going to get it?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," he answered, "but I will get it."

"I know you will," she said, "everyone will help you...including me." Adam smiled at her and then turned his head to the ceiling. Belle noticed that he was staring into space.

"What's on your mind?" she asked.

"Trying to believe everything that's happened." he said, "Having human skin again, telling you what happened in the past."

"And asking me to marry you." Belle added, Adam quickly looked at Belle. She was just smiling as she sat down on the couch.

"Also knowing the truth about our...mothers." Adam added.

"And that they're sorceresses. I'm more surprised about that more than her being alive." Belle said.

"I don't know about you," he added, "but I would like it if they could be there at our..."

"The wedding?" she finished.

"I'm having a hard time saying the words. I still can't believe everything that's happened."

"I know," Belle said, "I would like it if they would be there, but how is it going to be possible? My father thinks my mother is dead and the servants think the same for your mother." Just then, there was a knock at the library doors; Belle and Adam quickly stopped talking about their mothers.

"Enter!" Adam said. The door opened and Cogsworth walked in with a serious look on his face. Adam groaned because he knew Cogsworth was going to get on him about him becoming a prince again. "What is it now, Cogsworth?"

"Sire," Cogsworth said in a professional manner, "since you...and Belle...are going to be married, there is an important thing for you to do...at least."

"Which is?" Adam asked, but Cogsworth was silent. Adam could see that he was very nervous, but he can't read his servants' minds. "Cogsworth, will you spit it out!" Adam said.

"You should write a letter to your...cousin." Cogsworth simply said. Belle was a little surprised, Adam didn't tell her that he had a cousin. She looked at him to ask about his cousin, but she saw that there was anger in his blue eyes. Belle can tell what Adam was feeling just from looking at his deep blue eyes.

Since she could see that he was going to get angry, Belle didn't want to take any chances for it to be unleashed, but Cogsworth decided to open his mouth again.

"Look, sire," he said, "he's the only one who can give you your title as 'prince' to you and..."

"Cogsworth." Adam interrupted in a deep voice.

"Yes, sire?" Cogsworth asked.

"Outside, now!" Adam said as he got up from the armchair. Now Cogsworth was nervous as his master walked past him and went out of the library, he slowly followed him. Belle couldn't believe the anger she saw in Adam's eyes, something was telling her that this wasn't going to be pleasant.

"I've haven't seen him this angry before." Belle said to herself.

"Neither have I." said a female voice, Belle jumped off the couch when she heard the voice. She looked around the library seeing if anyone was in the room.

"Who's there?" she asked.

"Sorry, Belle," the voice said, "I didn't mean to startle you like that." Just then, the smoke from the fire in the fireplace started to swirl around in front of the mantle. Then, there was a loud pop and the smoke vanished. In place of the smoke... was Lydia, Adam's mother. She coughed into her sleeve before talking. "Mental note," Lydia said to herself, "never use smoke for your entrances."

"Lydia," Belle quickly said, "I wasn't expecting...is Adam...?"

"Nope," Lydia calmly said, "I thought I would surprise him, but...I've never seen him that upset." Belle didn't know what to tell Lydia, she didn't know if Adam told Lydia about his curse because he is very hesitant about talking about it. He...and Belle...knew that nobody would believe such a thing. She was also still nervous about talking to Lydia because, 1. she punched quills into Belle's right hip, but 2. which was the most important to Belle, Lydia is Adam's mother. Belle was going through what a lot of soon-to-be brides go through, wondering if they would ever get along with their mother-in-laws.

Just then, Belle noticed Lydia's blue eyes sparkle.

"Hmm, you don't have to be worried about getting along with me, Belle." Lydia said, Belle was a little surprised that Lydia knew exactly what she was thinking. Lydia used her mind-reading powers to figure out why Belle was so hesitant towards her. "It was wrong of me to stick my quills into you like that. I hope that...you can forgive me."

"Hmm, you're starting to sound like your son." Belle said, Lydia just smiled.

"Who do you think taught him to speak?" Lydia said, she then chuckled, "I also know about the curse that was placed on him, he told me all about it last night."

"I need to ask;" Belle said, "I know my mother didn't come back into my life because your empress erased her mind, but...why did you return to Adam's life." Lydia was a little surprised that Belle asked her that, but Belle was the daughter of her best friend _and_ was going to become her daughter-in-law.

"Because Lady Temps did the same thing to me." Lydia answered, "Since your mother and I were guardians of the Clarinet of Life and were the only ones who knew where the locations of the two halves were, both of us were brought back from the grave, but also...our empress erased our minds about our lives in..._this_ world."

"Your empress erased your mind...about Adam?" Belle asked.

"If Lady Temps wasn't the empress of my world, I would've beaten her down to the ground, but if I did, she would've turned me into a pile of dust and bones. Lady Temps is the sorceress of time and empress of the world of magic." Lydia said. "It wasn't until I saw Adam again did my memory return." Hearing what Lydia had to say...Belle started to feel sad for her. Belle's mother, Veronica, who is also the sorceress of color and light, had told her the other night that she hadn't got her memory back until Veronica saw her daughter again. That wasn't until Belle's step-grandmother, Fiona, tried to take over both the human world and the world of magic and Belle had to stop her.

"You didn't see him until...that horrible night." Belle guessed, "When...Fiona tried to..."

"Yes, exactly." Lydia said, "I can't believe that Lady Temps would keep me out of my son's life. I'm still very angry about that...twelve years being out my son's life...I still can't take it."

"At least you're in his life now," Belle said, "that's what's important now." Lydia smiled at Belle.

"You've defiantly inherited your mother's sense of words." Lydia said, "You deserve to be in the royal life. Let's get back on our original topic, Adam told me about the curse he was under, so anything that involves..._that_... I do deserve the right know what's going on." Belle knew Lydia _did_ deserve to know what's going on with her son.

"Well, since Adam told you," Belle said, "he wants to accept his title as 'prince' after...well, you already know."

"Hmm, he has also inherited my risk taking." Lydia said, "Continue."

"Well, Cogsworth came in earlier, asking him the same question. He also said that Adam should write a letter to his cousin. As soon as Cogsworth finished, I could see such anger and fury in Adam's eyes. He then left the library with Cogsworth." Lydia was a touch surprised about what Belle just told her.

"He got angry as soon as Cogsworth mentioned his cousin?" Lydia asked, Belle just nodded 'yes'.

"Do you know about this cousin of his?" Belle asked, Lydia snapped her head up.

"Adam...never told you?" Lydia asked, Belle shook her head 'no'.

"No, but...he had told me about you and his father." Belle said, "How...abusive he was and everything else."

"Adam could never talk about it because he gave him such great pain." Lydia said, "I'm really surprised...no, _shocked_, that he told you."

"He told me that he had to tell me about it because I deserved to know...and...he thought it would help him let the past go." Belle explained.

"Sometimes it's hard to let the past go," Lydia said, "it's even harder to make the past let you go. I'm glad that you're in his life."

"I am too." Belle said.

"Well, before I get off topic," Lydia said, "Adam does have a cousin...only by a miracle."

"What do you mean?" Belle asked, Lydia was a little concerned. She didn't think that Belle didn't need to know all the details.

"Believe me, Belle," she said, "you don't want to know the harsh details. Anyway, Adam has a cousin on his father's side."

"Lydia, since I'm going to be a member of the family," Belle said, "I do deserve to know about Adam's family, no matter how harsh the details are." Lydia knew that Belle had a point.

"All right," she said, "I'll tell you. Girls weren't allowed to be born in Henry's family, only boys. After Henry died, I got a letter from the main castle, it was from his sister. I was surprised to find out that he had a sister. The letter said that she was Henry's twin sister, their mother didn't want to lose her daughter, so she paid the royal doctor a bag of gold to stay quiet to the king and to send her daughter to her parents' castle."

"She must've been desperate." Belle said, "What would happen to children born as girls?" Lydia didn't say anything, she wanted Belle to figure it out for herself. Just then, Belle's face dropped, she managed to figure it out.

"I said you didn't want to know." Lydia said, "Henry's sister was the first female born in the family for many years. She wanted to meet me, so I rode to her husband's castle. I didn't know what to make of her when I got there, but when I did meet her, she was the complete opposite of her twin brother. She was funny and very silly, I knew that if I brought Adam with me, he would've adore her. While we were getting along, I told her about Adam. She then told me that she had a son herself. He was named 'Sagittarius' because he was born under the constellation. Turns out, he was also very good with a bow and arrow. We both thought it was a good idea for our sons to meet, but when she told me how old _her_ son was, I was starting to doubt the idea."

"How old was he?" Belle asked.

"Well, Adam, at the time, was six," Lydia added, "Sagittarius was...sixteen."

"Sixteen?" Belle asked, a little surprised, "He's ten years older than Adam!"

"Believe me, I was as surprised as you are." Lydia said, "As soon as I heard his age, I didn't think it was a good idea for Sagittarius to meet my son because he was a teenager and Adam was still a child, but I had to give Henry's sister a chance. When I got back here, I told Adam about his aunt and cousin, but Adam initially didn't want to meet Sagittarius and his mother because they were from his father's side of the family, he was very fearful of them."

"I don't blame him." Belle added, remembering that Adam had told her his father had physically abused him., "Considering from what he told me."

"They came to the castle two weeks later," Lydia continued, "Adam was so scared that he wrapped himself around my legs...and hid under my dress. I couldn't move because he was holding onto my legs, so I was standing in the front hall when Henry's sister and her son came. When I met Sagittarius for the first time, he didn't _completely_ act like the teenage boy as I expected. He was also excited to meet his little cousin, I pleaded with Adam to come out...and to let go of my legs."

"Did he?" Belle asked.

"He did...after saying I would bake my double chocolate chunk cookies." Lydia said as she crossed her arms, Belle giggled at that remark. "He released my legs and came out from under my dress, but he still kept his distance from his aunt and cousin. It wasn't until Sagittarius tried to make Adam laugh did he finally open up. When Adam was finally able to open up, he and Sagittarius were inseparable. They were more like brothers than cousins. Every time one had to leave the other, it was always hard."

"But if Adam and Sagittarius love each other that much, then why did Adam become so angry when Cogsworth mention him?" Belle asked.

"That's a very good question." Lydia answered.

* * *

While Belle was talking to Lady Lydia, Adam, who was in a really foul mood, took Cogsworth out to the gardens to talk to him. Adam didn't want Belle to see him so angry, but as soon as he got outside with Cogsworth, he almost bit his head off.

"I can't believe that you would say something like that, especially in front of Belle!" Adam shouted.

"B-b-b-but sire-" Cogsworth stammered, but Adam wouldn't hear about it.

"He broke a promise to me and mother!" he shouted.

"Sire, I may not _completely_ understand what you're talking about," Cogsworth said, trying to must up the courage to speak to his master, "but you should let Sagittarius know that you're here...and alive."

"He probably has forgotten me!" Adam shouted, he turned his back on Cogsworth. "It's been twelve years since we've seen each other."

"Sire, I think it's impossible for him to forget you." Cogsworth added, "If I remember correctly, Sagittarius loved you more than anything else in the world."

"Exactly!" Adam shouted as he turned back around, "He loved me! He no longer does! If he had, he wouldn't have raised his hand at me! Sagittarius promised mother and me that he would never raised his hand to strike or harm me! Sagittarius broke that promise!" Adam couldn't stand it anymore, he ordered Cogsworth to leave him alone. Cogsworth turned on a dime and ran off like a scared puppy. After that angry discussion with Cogsworth, Adam went up to his room. He didn't want to be anywhere in the castle when his temper was hot and fresh. He did whatever he could to avoid the servants because he didn't want to bite off everybody's head. Adam also wanted to avoid Belle, he didn't want to make his fiancee feel bad, especially when he walked out of the library like that.

Once inside the West Wing, Adam closed the door, laid down on his bed and stared up into the ceiling. Adam knew that Cogsworth was only trying to help him out, but the mention of his cousin just made him so angry. What Adam said earlier was true, he hadn't seen Sagittarius in twelve years...and Sagittarius broke a promise he made to Adam and Lydia, but he also knew that Cogsworth was right, Sagittarius was the only one who could help him get his title. Adam knew that only a family member could give him his title and...Sagittarius was the only family member he has...or had...left. But after twelve long years, Adam didn't know if Sagittarius would ever speak to him, especially after he ran away from Sagittarius' home. Adam just laid on his bed, on his back, and stared into space as he thought about the decision about Sagittarius.

* * *

Back down in the library, Belle and Lydia were still talking to each other...until another surprise visitor came. There was a pop and a swirl of sparkles coming from the floor, there was another pop and the sparkles shined and transformed into a person. It was Veronica, Belle's mother and the sorceress of color and light. She brushed off her rainbow-colored robes and greeted her daughter and her best friend.

"Hello Belle. Hello Lydia."

"First Lydia pays a surprise visit," Belle said, "now you surprise me." Lydia didn't say anything yet, she could tell that her friend's voice seemed worried and hesitant.

"Veronica," Lydia said, "you seem a little tense. What is the problem?"

"We need to talk," Veronica said, "but not here."

"What's wrong?" Belle asked, Veronica looked straight at her daughter's eyes.

"Nothing for you to worry about, my daughter, but...I do need to speak with you, Lydia. It's important." Lydia could sense the urgency in Veronica's voice, she can tell that it was important.

"All right." Lydia said. "Let's get out of here." Veronica looked at Belle.

"I'll be back soon, Belle." Veronica said.

"Very well then." Belle said as Veronica pulled out a rainbow-colored wand out of her robes. She waved the wand like a knife cutting something. Just then, a hole appeared, Veronica put her wand back in her robes and she and Lydia walked through the hole.

* * *

On the other side of the hole...was the world of magic. The hole closed up when Veronica and Lydia stepped back into their world, Lydia noticed that they were in the mansion that she, Veronica _and_ Rouge, the enchantress that placed the curse on Adam, share together.

"Veronica, tell me what's going on!" Lydia demanded, Veronica turned around and looked dead in Lydia's eyes.

"We've got a small problem." Veronica said, "You remember Rouge's little sister?"

"Rosetta, the Pink enchantress? Of course, but what does she have anything to do with this?" Lydia asked.

"Rouge just found out about this last night." Veronica explained, "She told me this morning...it turns out that Adam wasn't the only one under a spell."

"Meaning?" Lydia asked, clearly not understanding. Veronica sighed.

"I'm going to tell you what Rouge told me, remember that she just found out about this last night by Lady Temps." Veronica said, "Twelve years ago, Lady Temps gave Rosetta an order to cast a spell. Rosetta had to place a spell on the daughter of a Vicereine, named Kaelyn, because she was a selfish greedy girl, she didn't even care about her mother, who was the Vicereine and who ignored what her daughter was doing. Rosetta found out that she was going to a Christmas party."

"Okay." Lydia said, "Before you continue, why are you telling me this?"

Because...your nephew was hosting the Christmas party." Veronica answered, Lydia's face almost dropped.

"Sagittarius?" she asked.

"Yes, him." Veronica answered, "It also turns out that the Kaelyn had her eyes on your nephew."

"Oh brother." Lydia said as she slapped her forehead. "Let me see here...twelve years ago... that was the year I was supposed to die because of that burning mansion. That means Adam was nine that year and, since his cousin is ten years older than Adam...that means Sagittarius was nineteen at the time. Continue, so I can understand this better."

"Sagittarius held the Christmas party that the Vicereine's daughter, Kaelyn, was going to." Veronica continued, "Rosetta disguised herself as a poor woman and knocked on his castle door."

"Sounds like what Rouge did to Adam." Lydia added.

"Well, you know that Rouge and Rosetta have similar powers since they are sisters." Veronica said. "Anyway, back to what I was saying, Rosetta was intent to carry through with the order Lady Temps gave her, but she remained in her disguise until the right time. Sagittarius allowed Rosetta in because he thought she was just an ordinary woman looking for shelter. Once inside, Rosetta kept her eyes on Kaelyn."

"Let me guess," Lydia said, "the child was acting like a spoiled brat."

"Only when Sagittarius and other men were near," Veronica said, "she didn't want any other men near her because she only had her eyes on Sagittarius. She would do anything to get him to pay attention to her, but he wasn't interested in her."

"Sagittarius never liked dealing with spoiled brats," Lydia added, "mainly because spoiled brats don't care about anyone but themselves."

"Exactly the point," Veronica added, "but Kaelyn wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. At the party, she followed Sagittarius until he was alone. Rosetta followed her to a parlor where Sagittarius was with one of his servants, she stayed outside the door while Sagittarius and the Kaelyn got themselves in a heated argument."

"How heated?" Lydia asked.

"Hot enough where you could fry an egg on their heads." Veronica said, "Kaelyn was so furious that she decided to strike Sagittarius right on the face and she hit the servant. Sagittarius tripped and fell on the rug and the servant collapsed because he was punched in the stomach. When she hit both of them, Rosetta barged into the room, removed her disguise and got between them. Kaelyn became very frightened when she saw Rosetta, Sagittarius didn't understand completely since he was slapped in the head so hard." Hearing how such a violent woman would throw her wrath at somebody else, especially at one of her family members, was enough to make Lydia sick to her stomach. Veronica handed her a wastebasket before Lydia put her breakfast on the floor.

"I don't want to know the details," Lydia said as she sat the wastebasket on the ground, "just get through the rest of it!"

"I don't know if you can handle it, considering you lost your breakfast." Veronica said.

"You know how families affect me!" Lydia said, almost shouting. Veronica backed off a little bit when Lydia shouted, the last thing she wants to be around is when Lydia is very angry. When Lydia realized that she raised her voice, she felt bad for making Veronica back away. "Sorry Veronica," she said, "I didn't mean to raise my voice like that."

"Families...have that affect on a lot of people." Veronica said, "I don't blame you for that kind of reaction."

"Please continue," Lydia said, "I know this involves my nephew in some way or another."

"You sure?" Veronica asked, Lydia nodded her head 'yes'. "Okay...Rosetta stared right at Kaelyn and said to her that she had a black heart and didn't deserve the form of a beautiful woman. Kaelyn begged her for forgiveness, but Rosetta wouldn't hear any of it. Rosetta also said that she was going to give her a form that matched her black heart. She shot the beam of magic out of her hands, but Kaelyn ducked her head down. That's when Rosetta saw the stained glass picture behind Kaelyn. The magic missed her, hit the stained glass, bounced off it, then bounced off the chandelier..."

"You're stalling." Lydia said, "What happened?" Veronica took a deep breath and said;

"The beam bounced off the chandelier and was going to hit the servant. Sagittarius pushed him out of the way...and the beam hit him." Lydia almost collapsed on the floor, Veronica caught her before she did and sat her down on a purple couch. Lydia guessed on what happened next.

"Since the beam hit my nephew," Lydia said, "the spell was placed on him?" Veronica didn't want to answer her, but she knew that was the truth.

"Yes." Veronica said, "Rosetta, the servant and Kaelyn saw the spell land on Sagittarius and transformed him. The spell also affected his servants, making them invisible. That's all I know, if we want to know more, we're going to have to see Rouge...and visit Rosetta."

"Where _is_ Rouge, anyway?" Lydia asked.

"Trying to find her sister," Veronica said, "turns out that ever since that mistake, Rosetta has been living in the human world."

"Let's hope she finds her soon." Lydia said.

"Don't bite Rosetta's head off!" Veronica said, "It was an accident."

"I know it was," Lydia said, "just from hearing what happened, it was an accident. I just need to talk to her because Adam is trying to make up his mind about whether or not to contact Sagittarius. I need to know more about what happened."

"I was almost expecting you to explode all over the place." Veronica said, "This was your nephew that this happened to."

"I know," Lydia said, "but I need to know all the facts before I do lose my temper. I don't need to make others feel bad before I know everything I need to know."

"You're starting to change, Lydia." Veronica said.

"I need to keep a promise of my own." Lydia said, "In order to do that, I need to change myself a little." Lydia was referring to the promise that Adam asked her to. Adam told her not to harm Rouge, Lydia gave her son her word that she wouldn't. Lydia knew that if she went after Rosetta, it would affect Rouge. Besides, Lydia also wanted to change herself so she could become a better woman around others, especially around Veronica, Rouge, her son and Belle.

Just then, Veronica and Lydia heard a door open and then clicked close. They looked over at the hallway entrance and saw Rouge walking in. Rouge didn't see them, until she heard Lydia call out her name. She was scared about how Lydia would react, but Rouge walked into the living area where Veronica and Lydia were in.

"Yes, Lydia?" Rouge said, Lydia didn't make any moves toward her or didn't act mad.

"Veronica told me what happened with your sister and my nephew." Lydia said, Rouge was about to open her mouth to defend herself, but Lydia raised her hand. Rouge quickly shut her mouth and tried to expect the anger in Lydia's voice. "After hearing what happened, I'll admit, I'm frustrated and a little disappointed, but I would like to hear more about what happened before anything else." Rouge was so shocked about what Lydia just said, she was expecting her to be shouting so loud that she would wear out her vocal cords.

"I wasn't expecting you to say that, Lydia." Rouge admitted.

"But I need to know if my nephew is free from the spell or not." Lydia added, "My son is deciding whether to contact his cousin or not."

"Well, lucky for me," Rouge said, "I found Rosetta."

"How?" Veronica asked.

"Just by sheer luck," Rouge answered, "I was walking through a village that's near Sagittarius' castle. I was in disguise, of course, but Rosetta knows me. I didn't see it coming when she touched my shoulder. I didn't recognize her at first because she had brown hair instead of her pink hair. She was disguised as a human, that's why I didn't recognize her, but when she slid her glasses down, that's when I saw her pink eyes."

"I guess in this situation," Veronica said, "it's a good thing you got her those glasses that can change our eye color as soon as you put them on."

"Exactly," Rouge said, "when I realized it was Rosetta standing in front of me, we embraced each other, since it was a good couple of years since I saw her. She brought me to the house she was living in and told me why she was in the human world."

"That's when she told you the rest of what Lady Temps told you?" Lydia asked.

"Yep," Rouge answered, "after the accident, Rosetta went to Lady Temps and told her what happened. She also told her that she would accept any punishment Lady Temps would give her, but...she asked to keep her powers so she could try and help Sagittarius."

"Try and _help_ my nephew?" Lydia asked, "Your sister has some guts asking Lady Temps to do that."

"More than I do," Rouge said, "Rosetta was allowed to make sure that Sagittarius needed what he needed and, much to my shock and amazement, she was able to erase the Kaelyn's mind about what she saw that night."

"Impressive," Lydia said, Veronica turned around and looked at her friend, "being a couple of years younger than you, Rouge, she knows how to erase minds...and knows when to help someone under their curse." Rouge sensed what Lydia was saying.

"I know you're still very sore and angry with me for doing what I did to your son." Rouge said, "You never told me that you had a son."

"I am trying to forgive you, Rouge," Lydia said, "but you are right, I am sore that you did that, but I also know that you had a reason. So please continue, I need to know."

"With the help of my little sister," Rouge continued, "Sagittarius stayed hidden in his castle and the invisible servants. Rosetta made sure that he had any supplies needed, but Rosetta was punished not to come back to the world of magic until he was free."

"Please tell me that he is!" Lydia said, "PLEASE!" Rouge stayed silent a few minutes, mainly because her voice was getting hoarse, but she had to make sure Lydia knew the answer.

"Yes, he did break it." Rouge answered, a wave of relief came over Lydia, but another question came to her mind.

"What kind of spell was it?"

"Uh...a similar spell to what I put on Adam." Rouge answered, expecting Lydia to yell at her.

"Fall in love and earn her love back." Veronica said.

"Yes," Rouge said, "exactly. Just like Adam, it got broken at the last minute."

"Since it was a spell similar to Adam's," Lydia said, "what was my nephew transformed into?"

"Uh...you don't want to know." Rouge quickly said as she diverted her attention away.

"Just say it." Lydia said, trying not to sound demanding. Rouge sighed and just said;

"A werewolf."

"A werewolf?" Veronica asked.

"Yep, including a few other animal parts, such as a lizard tail, a fish tail and spider legs." Lydia shuddered when she heard what else was added to his werewolf body. "There is one good thing that Rosetta added to the spell when it was placed on Sagittarius," Rouge added, "if he broke the spell, he was only able to age two years. Since he did break it, he only aged two years."

"Okay, if he aged only two years, that means...Sagittarius and Adam are now the same age!" Veronica said as she did the math.

"Oh dear, I don't know how I'm going to tell Adam about this," Lydia said, "I don't even what to do if Sagittarius finds out what happened to Adam."

"Um...actually," Rouge said, "...Sagittarius knows about Adam."

"What?" Lydia said in shock, "How?"

"Turns out Lady Temps sent him a dream and showed him what I did." Rouge said guiltily. "I swear on my life, Lydia, it was neither mine or Rosetta's idea!"

"Oh brother," Lydia said as she threw her head in her hands, "what a mess!"

* * *

_Well, I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter. If you're wondering what a Vicereine is, it is a female Viceroi (french word for Viceroy) and is one rank below a prince. If I get nice or good reviews about this chapter, I'll continue the story. Remember, I'm in college, so chapters will be slow._


	2. Outside

**I'm a little disappointed that I only got one review. If I don't get more, I won't continue with the story.**

* * *

"Very well then." Belle said as Veronica pulled out a rainbow-colored wand out of her robes. She waved the wand like a knife cutting something. Just then, a hole appeared, Veronica put her wand back in her robes and she and Lydia walked through the hole.

Belle watched the hole close up when her mother and Lydia walked through it. Seeing what her mother could do...made Belle think about what her mother told her, about becoming a sorceress or remain a human. It made her think back to a certain story, about a mermaid deciding to become a human or stay as a mermaid. Belle couldn't keep the thought out of her head, she wondered how this could affect her life and her future.

Just then, there was a knock on the library doors. Belle snapped out of her thoughts and went to the door, she opened it to see Mrs. Potts standing there.

"Hello dearie." She said.

"Hello Mrs. Potts." Belle replied, "How are you?"

"I'm doing fine," Mrs. Potts answered, "staying busy. I just came to look for you, your father wants to talk to you."

"Oh, do you know where he is?"

"He was out near the stalls, last I checked." Mrs. Potts said.

"Thank you. I'll go see him now." Belle said as she closed the library doors behind her. Mrs. Potts just nodded her head and left as Belle towards another direction. She went past the front entrance and went out through the main doors. As soon as Belle got outside, she felt the warm spring wind as she looked up into the blue sky. The sunlight also gave her a very warm feeling.

Belle walked over to the stables, she saw her father, Maurice, leaning against the building. He seemed to be in such deep thought as she approached him.

"Papa?" she said, Maurice jerked his head up when he heard his daughter's voice.

"Belle," he said, "I was wondering when you would show up." Belle saw the smile on her father's face, but his voice seemed worried.

"Um...Mrs. Potts said you wanted to talk?" Belle asked.

"Yes, I did. If I knew my way around this large castle, I would've found you myself." Maurice made a small chuckle at that remark, Belle did a small giggle when she heard her father's chuckle.

"So...what is it that you wanted to talk about?" Belle asked.

"It...still hasn't hit me that...that boy asked your hand in marriage." Maurice explained, "If your mother was around...she would be proud of you...especially when...Gaston tried to force you."

"Don't bring him up, papa." Belle said.

"I don't blame you." Maurice added, "Anyway, to the point I was trying to get, we've been here for a few days. We need to go back to the village." Belle's face immediately dropped, "Just hear me out, Belle, I know that village hasn't been keen of us ever since we've moved there, but all of our belongings are in that cottage, including items that..."

"Belonged to mother." Belle finished, "I already know...that we need to go back. It's just...I really don't want to go back after what they tried to do to you and...Gaston almost killed Adam."

"If we work together, we'll be able to gather all our belongings in three days." Maurice said, "We can do it." Belle looked at her father and smiled.

"I need to tell Adam," she added, "he won't like this at all, but...I think he'll understand once I tell him why."

"Go find him." Maurice said with a smile. Belle turned away from the stables and headed back inside the castle.

* * *

As Belle walked through the castle, she wondered how Adam was going to take about her going back to her old home, but she defiantly knew that he wouldn't like it one little bit. As Belle was rounding the corner of a hallway, she saw Cogsworth, hiding in a statue's shadow. He looked like he was having a panic attack as he was wiping his forehead with a handkerchief. Belle called out his name.

"Cogsworth?" He jumped when he heard his name. When he turned around and saw Belle, he quickly calm down and came out of hiding.

"Mademoiselle, thank heavens it's only you." Cogsworth said, Belle could hear...and see...that he was very flustered.

"Are you okay?" Belle said as she walked up to him.

"No, not entirely." He answered, "I was just trying to help him and...I've never seen him so angry and upset. He always loved his cousin, what changed his mind?"

"I may not know the answer to that," Belle said, "but would you happen to know...where he might be?"

"Mademoiselle, there's only one place he goes whenever he loses his temper." Cogsworth answered, Belle knew where that was.

"Then that's where I'll go." She said.

"Uh, you might wait until he calms down!" Cogsworth warned.

"It's...somewhat important." Belle said as she turned away, "I think he'll understand."

* * *

As Belle walked towards the West Wing, she thought about how to tell Adam about her leaving. She painfully remembered the last time she left; it made Adam so upset. Upset wasn't the word, he was so heart-broken when Belle left to help her father. It also almost cost Adam his life, she stopped at the stairs as the painful memory came to her; the mob taking her father, showing the Beast's image in the mirror, being locked in the cellar, seeing the Beast at Gaston's feet, reaching out to him, Gaston stabbing him and slipping off to the ravine and the Beast dying in her arms. She couldn't help but feel the painful stab in her heart whenever that memory came up in her mind, she felt like it was her fault that her Beast almost died.

As Belle felt tears sliding off her cheeks, she suddenly heard music. Belle raised her head and opened her eyes; the music was coming from the West Wing. She walked up the stairs and she continued to listen the music. She guessed that the music was coming from some kind of string instrument, but she also knew that it wasn't coming from a piano.

As she approached the doors to the West Wing, she saw that the door was partly opened. Belle peeked in, there was Adam sitting on the balcony ledge. She opened the door wider and went inside, Belle saw that Adam was playing a violin. Adam didn't notice that Belle was in his room because his eyes were closed as he was playing his violin. Belle thought she hadn't heard such beautiful music; she closed her eyes and listened. The music helped her push away the painful memories and bring thoughts of her wonderful future, together with Adam. She didn't know how long she had her eyes closed, nor did she care, Belle just wanted to listen to the violin.

Suddenly, the violin stopped. Belle quickly opened her eyes, just to see Adam standing in front of her. Belle started to turn scarlet red when she realized how silly she might have been listening to his violin.

"Hello Belle." Adam said as he smiled, Belle couldn't stop her face turning red.

"Hello...Adam." Belle stammered, "I didn't know...you could play the violin."

"Of course, I can. I wasn't able to when...I was the Beast." Adam explained, Belle could understand that his large paws and sharp claws would tear the violin to pieces if he tried to. "Now that I'm human again, I can now play it without fear of destroying it." Belle could sense how happy Adam seemed to be as he stared at his violin and placed it on his bed, she really didn't want to tell him that she had to go back to the village.

"This probably isn't a good time to talk to you, so I'll just..." Belle was trying to avoid talking about leaving so she turned towards the door, but as soon as she turned her back, she felt something grab her hand. She had a feeling that Adam would try to stop her from holding something back.

"I always have time for you, Belle." Adam said, "Tell me what might be the problem." Belle felt her stomach twisting in a knot as she turned back and looked at Adam. She took a deep breath and said;

"I know you're not going to like this...but...I need to go back to my old village." Adam froze when he heard that Belle was wanting to go back to her old home, he didn't want her to leave him again! Belle could see his blue eyes grow large, like puppy eyes, it was the same look he gave her when he let her go to her father. She saw the heart-broken look across his human face.

"Oh Adam," she said, trying to make him understand, "I don't to leave you again. I really don't, but...all my father's, my mother's and my belongings are still in that cottage. I...also would think it...would be proper for me to bring my my family's things here since...we're going to get married. I would think you would want my living here permanent, there's nothing more that I want more for us than..." Before Belle could say another word, Adam just grabbed her shoulders and held her close to him. Belle wasn't that surprised that Adam would do this, she knew that this was his way of saying never leaving him again...and that he loved her. She could hear his heartbeat, the same heartbeat when she first danced with him, as she held him back. Belle could feel the sadness from him.

"I do understand why you need to go back," Adam said, "I just wish I could go with you."

"You can!" Belle said as she looked up at his face.

"No, I cannot." he said, "Not without Cogsworth making a big festive announcement about it. Even though he's been a clock for ten years, Cogsworth hasn't changed much."

"Maybe you can ask him not to do that...just this once." Belle said.

"I doubt it." Adam said, "He makes a big deal out of everything he does."

"Maybe not this time," she said, "you really scared him when you and him were talking."

"He told you?" he asked.

"No, I saw him on my way up here. Whatever you did almost gave him a panic attack."

"I really can't talk about it, Belle." Adam said, he turned his head and didn't say anything else after that.

"Is it about this cousin of yours?" Belle asked, Adam quickly snapped his head back at her. "I saw your reaction in the library, I don't need to get you upset again. I will say this...I am interested about your cousin, mainly because you never mentioned him, but as I said, I don't want to push you."

"I don't know what to do," he said, "Cogsworth is right, the only way I could accept my role as prince...is that a family member announces it and gives it to me...and Sagittarius is the only living family that I know I have."

"Maybe coming out of this castle may help your decision." she suggested, "I know you haven't left this castle in over ten years...maybe you should come with me." Adam knew that Belle spoke the truth, he hadn't left the castle in over ten years. Adam always wondered what was beyond the forest, but he couldn't leave without knowing that he wasn't human.

Adam released Belle and went to his bedroom door.

"Cogsworth!" he shouted, "I need to see you!" Belle smiled, even when Adam doesn't notice it, he sometimes still act like the Beast she knew. Him shouting for Cogsworth was just another example.

They heard Cogsworth scampering up to the door, there was a knock.

"Enter!" Adam said, the door opened and Cogsworth walked in.

"You called, sire?" Cogsworth said.

"Yes," Adam answered, "Belle needs to go back to her old cottage to get her family's belongings."

"I'll gather the servants and ask for volunteers." Cogsworth said as he was heading to the door.

"Not so fast! I wasn't done!" Adam said, Cogsworth turned back to him. "I'm also going with Belle and her father. Don't even think about making this a big deal, Cogsworth!"

"But sire," Cogsworth said, "this would an opportunity to show that you want to accept the crown!"

"No buts!" Adam said, "I'm not ready for _that_ yet! Do we understand each other?" Belle could sense that Adam was trying very hard not to yell at Cogsworth, she saw his reaction to the crowd of servants. She had to agree with Adam, he was not ready for that kind of attention yet. Cogsworth took a deep breath and said;

"All right, sire. I won't do anything of the sort...this time."

"Thank you." Adam said, "Now go tell the servants, we'll be down in a little bit."

"Yes, master." Cogsworth said, "Mademoiselle." He bowed to Belle and left the room.

"You were right." Belle said once Cogsworth was gone, "He does like to make everything a big deal."

"He can't help himself." Adam said as he went over to his closet, "He thinks everything needs to be taken care of as soon as possible."

"What are you doing?" Belle asked as she watched Adam go through his clothes.

"If I'm going with you," he said, "I don't want to make a royal affair out of it. I'm not ready for those, so I'm trying to find some simple clothes."

"I'll help you." Belle said as she walked next to him. It took a while to gather some simple clothes because Adam had a lot of suits, but she managed to find a simple plum-purple jerkin with matching trousers.

* * *

After choosing some clothes for Adam, they went downstairs to find Cogsworth with three other servants, Lumiere being one of them.

"Sire," Lumiere said, "I, including with these two other servants, would like to go with you and the Mistress to help." Belle blushed when Lumiere said 'Mistress', she didn't think she should be called that.

"Thank you all," Belle said, "Where's my father?"

"He's helping with the other servants," Cogsworth said, "making sure there's enough to hold everything."

"Let's go then." Adam said. The six of them walked out to see four carriages, full of trunks, connected together with two horses at the reins. Lumiere and the two other servants got on three of the carriages while Adam helped Belle and Maurice get on the first one, where the horses were pulling first. Once everyone was seated, Belle snapped the reins, which told the horses to go forward. Adam saw all the servants waving good-bye, he couldn't help but wave back.

* * *

When the castle was out of sights, Adam turned back to the road ahead.

"So...how far is the village?" Adam asked, trying to get comfortable.

"About an hour's worth, at the pace we're going." Belle said, "We'll get there with enough time to get some work done, might as well try to get comfy until we get there." While Belle and Maurice kept their eyes on the road, Adam looked back to see Lumiere and the other two servants look all around them. He forgot that they haven't left the castle for ten years either. Adam also took in the new sights around him, spring was starting to surface and baby animals could be heard. He wondered if his worries about Belle's village was all for nothing, but he won't know until they got there.


	3. Love and Memories

**At the request of one of my readers, I'm going to try to make this chapter romantic.**

* * *

"Adam, wake up!"

Adam opened his eyes when he heard Belle's voice, he quickly sat up to see Belle, with her hand on his knee.

"You must've fallen asleep." she said, "I hope you were comfortable."

"Comfortable enough." he said, still a little groggy.

"Well, we're here." Belle said, she pointed at her cottage. "Papa and the servants are already inside, getting started." Adam rubbed his eyes and stared at the cottage, he noticed the little additions to it like the water wheel and the little pinwheel on the roof.

"Hmm, it reminds me of the cottages in your stories." Adam said.

"Yes...it does." Belle said, Adam noticed that she was a little silent.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing could express how much I wanted to leave this place," she said, "I dreamed of an adventure, something that I knew that this village wouldn't give me."

"Did you ever get it?" Adam asked.

"Of course," she answered, "not only did I get the adventure I wanted...I found someone who loved me for myself...not anything else." Belle saw Adam turning pink and turned away.

"L-l-l-let's go help everyone." Adam said as he hopped off the carriage. He grabbed Belle's waist as she was climbing down the carriage, Belle wasn't too surprised about Adam's reaction to what she said, mainly because he's never felt like this before. Belle placed her hands on Adam's shoulders as he placed her on the ground. Belle didn't try to do anything...at least not yet, she wanted to wait until Adam felt more comfortable.

* * *

They walked inside the cottage, Lumiere with a female servant were carefully putting things in trunks.

"Master, Mistress." Lumiere said when he saw them.

"Lumiere, where's my papa?" Belle asked.

"He and Jardin and downstairs in the cellar," Lumiere answered, "I and Tranquillité are working here on the first floor. The second floor hasn't been touched yet."

"Thank you." Adam said, Lumiere bowed his head and went back to help Tranquillité. "Shall we go upstairs?" he asked Belle.

"Not yet," Belle answered, "I want to check on the animals."

"You didn't tell me you had animals." Adam said as he followed Belle.

"Three goats and two chickens." Belle said, "I left their feed out when I left here, I hope they're still okay." They went through the kitchen, Belle opened a back door that led out to the tiny fenced area where the goats and chickens were kept.

The animals didn't seemed too upset for being alone for a certain number of days, but the feed was severely low. Adam watched Belle spread out some chicken feed, the chickens quickly dove for the food in a furry of feathers. The goats ignored the uproar and ate their food, oblivious to everyone around them.

"By the looks of things," Belle said, "they seem all right to me."

"What are you going to do with them?" Adam asked.

"I guess I'll take them into town and see if someone wants to buy them," she said, "unless...you want them at the castle."

"That would probably be a good idea," Adam said, "Cogsworth can stop sending out for more eggs and milk."

"Can I ask you something?" Belle said, Adam nodded his head 'yes'. "Well, since no one knew that you were around, how did you get all the supplies you needed, such as food and clothing?"

"Well, I'm not too surprised that you were going to say that." he said, "I sent out letters to the main castle, telling them what I needed and...without any questions...it was brought over."

"No questions asked?" Belle asked.

"None," Adam answered. "I was surprised about that, but I'm glad that everytime I sent a letter out needing something, questions about where I was were never asked. Some of the other things, such as my clothes and your dresses, were already present in the castle."

"Uh...were some of those dresses...um...belonged to...?"

"My mother?" Adam asked, "No, not all of them, I had the servants to custom make all the dresses you wore, especially the yellow ballgown. When I saw you that dress...nothing could express how breath-taking you were. I'll never forget you looked on that night when...we first danced together." What Adam considered a bold move, he walked over to Belle and wrapped his arms around her waist. Belle started to blush as she smiled and stared into his deep blue eyes.

This moment reminded her of when Adam transformed back into a human, the only difference...she didn't have any doubts this time. She placed her hands on his shoulders, stood up on her tiptoes and closed her eyes. Belle felt Adam's lips on hers, the kiss still had that wonderful warm feeling just like the first time. She held onto his neck collar as Adam held her tightly.

"Aw, how precious!"

When Adam and Belle heard a voice, they snapped their eyes open and pulled away from each other. They got startled that someone caught them. When they pulled away, Adam tripped, fell backwards and landed on one of the chickens' nests. Feathers flew all over the place as the chickens squawked.

"Adam, are you okay?" Belle asked as she ran over to him.

"Besides being covered with feathers and...this stuff...sticking to me," Adam said as he raised his arm and saw the egg yolks, "I'm fine."

"Well...at least you know where eggs come from." Belle said, trying to lighten the moment.

"A romantic moment turned funny." said a female voice, Belle quickly turned around to see who it was. When she did, there was a woman, not much older or taller than Belle, wearing a blue feathered coat, a gray skirt and white shoes and was leaning on the fence.

"I recognize that skirt and shoes." Belle said as she stood up, "Hello Tintement." Tintement giggled when Belle figured out that it was her. Adam was more surprised that it was Tintement, mainly because she was no longer wearing her golden wolf mask. As Adam stood back up, the feathers were sticking to him by the egg yolks. Tintement couldn't help but laugh.

"I didn't mean to disturb on your happy moment." Tintement said as she tried to hold in her laugh. "But I needed to make sure that my eyes weren't fooling me."

"Why are you here, Tintement?" Belle asked, "I would think you would be with Aunt Celia." Tintement raised her head and groaned.

"I still haven't forgiven her." Tintement said.

"You know she did what she did to protect us from her mother, Fiona." Belle said.

"I know, but it's still sore in my heart." Tintement said, "Ever since we were set free by her spell, I came here. I knew you weren't around, but I thought you would want somebody watching your house, especially with your stuff, Uncle Maurice's inventions in the basement and these animals that you have. I had a feeling you would come back for your things."

"Thank you, Tintement." Belle said.

"You're welcome." Tintement said, she then looked at Adam, "I think his highness should change his clothes." Belle looked at Adam and saw all the chicken feathers sticking to the egg yolks on his jerkin.

"I can clean it up." Belle said, "Tintement, can you fill a bucket with water and bring it up to my room upstairs?"

"Of course, I'll be back." Tintement said as she went towards the well.

"Let's go, Adam." Belle said as she grabbed his hand. He followed her first to the kitchen where she grabbed a few cloths. They then went upstairs up to Belle's old room.

When Adam walked into Belle's room, he saw what resembled his fiancee. There were books stacked on top of one another on her dresser, but there was very little else in her room.

"I know there's not very much," Belle said as she sat down on her old bed, "but I was able to work it out."

"There's very little in here, Belle." Adam said as he walked over to Belle, he didn't sit down on her old bed because of the egg yolks and feathers on his jerkin. "Were you that poor?"

"No," she answered, "we just had enough to get by and enough to let papa do his inventions. I wasn't a spoiled kid, so I never asked for much." Belle looked over at her old books on her dresser. "All those books originally belonged to my mother and...Aunt Maryvonne."

"Your aunt?" Adam asked, Belle sighed.

"Tintement's mother." Belle said, "Tintement didn't want to be reminded about her mother since that...nasty night, so she gave me her mother's books."

"I didn't mean to bring up...that horrible thing." Adam said sadly.

"It's not your fault." Belle said, but before she could continue, there was a knock on the door. Belle went over to the door and opened it, Tintement came in with a bucket.

"I warmed it up a little, heat helps remove any mess off clothes." Tintement said as she placed it down next to Belle's old bed.

"Thank you, Tintement." Belle said, "Maybe you can help us move out of this cottage?"

"Sure," Tintement said, "I think I'll take up on his highness' offer...if you'll let me, Belle."

"Meaning?" Belle asked.

"Adam offered me to stay at the castle." Tintement explained.

"We'll be together again," Belle said, "you can stay with us." Tintement smiled and went out of the room. Belle put her cloths in the bucket.

"Can you remove your jerkin, Adam?" she asked, Adam quickly pulled it off and gave it to Belle. As she wiped his jerkin, Adam browsed through the books on Belle's dresser. Some of them were novels and fairy-tales, but there was one that didn't have a title. Adam was about to touch it, but he didn't want to invade Belle's privacy. "I didn't know what book that was either." Belle said, "it did belong to my mother, Veronica, but there is a lock on it. I don't know where the key is."

"I don't mean to invade your privacy." Adam said.

"I don't mind," she said, "maybe you can put those books at the edge of the bed? Then we can get everything else ready to go in trunks." Adam smiled, gathered the books and placed them at the edge at of the bed. "Well, it's now clean," she said as Adam looked at his purple jerkin, "still a little wet, but it's clean." She handed over the jerkin and held it out to him.

"Thank you, Belle." Adam said as he took his jerkin, "I'm...happy that you came into my life, not just because of the curse."

"What do you mean?" she asked as Adam put his jerkin back on.

"If you haven't came into my life, Belle," he said, "I wouldn't have changed so much. When you left to help your father, I didn't care if I was going to remain a Beast forever, you were the only thing in my life that was able to put a smile on my face and...was able to touch my heart." Belle blushed as Adam walked up to her.

"When...you were dying on that balcony," Belle said with her voice breaking, "there was nothing I wanted more than...just to have you back. I didn't care if you remained as a Beast or you were transformed into a dragon, a bear or a flying pig," Adam laughed at that comment, "I didn't care about anything else, I just wanted you." Adam just wrapped his arms around her.

"Belle, where were we before?" Adam asked.

"I think I remember." Belle said as she stood on her tiptoes. She grabbed onto his neck collar and closed her eyes. Once again, Adam's lips met Belle's, despite his slightly wet jerkin. Only this time, nobody disturbed them.

* * *

**I hope this was romantic enough.**


	4. The Villagers Sees Tintement

By the end of the day, the cottage was almost empty, but there was no more room in three of the four carriages. The servants decided to go back to the castle to drop off the trunks in the three very full carriages and return in the morning with the carriages and more trunks. The first carriage and one of the horses were left with Belle, Maurice, Adam and Tintement. They decided to stay at the cottage for the night and do more packing if they didn't want to wait until morning.

After the servants left, Belle and Adam went into the kitchen while Maurice was talking to Tintement.

"I can't believe you've been alive this whole time." Maurice said.

"I...was the only survivor." Tintement basically said as she started a fire in the small wood stove. Maurice frowned as he remembered that awful day, hearing that his brother and his wife were dead.

"You were nowhere to be found," Maurice added as he sat down in the only armchair left behind, "so...I presumed you were dead."

"Hmm, father always said it was wrong to presume things so fast." Tintement said, "He was right."

"Yes...yes, he was." he said as Belle and Adam walked out of the kitchen.

"We've...got a problem." Belle said.

"What is it?" Maurice asked.

"There's not enough food here to feed four people." she basically said, "I'm going to have to go into town and get some food."

"Oh no you don't," Tintement said she stood back up, "you have been working on moving your things all day. I will not have my cousin do anything else for the day. I'll go into town." Belle's eyes grew wide when she heard her cousin, she couldn't believe that Tintement would volunteer to go into town for her.

"Tintement, are you sure?" Belle asked.

"Positive, and if you don't believe me, I'll tie you down!" Tintement said as she fluffed up her feathered coat. "You're welcome to join me, your highness." Adam looked at Belle, she can tell that he was asking permission to go. Belle just smiled and nodded her head, she knew Adam hadn't been out of the castle for ten years.

"Let's go." Adam said as he opened the door for Tintement.

"We'll be back in a few minutes." she said as she walked out the door. Adam closed the door and followed Tintement. Belle sat down on the floor with her father still in the armchair.

"I still can't believe it." Maurice said, "Tintement was alive this whole time. I thought I lost my brother forever."

"Fiona wasn't much help," Belle said, "I wanted to tell you, but Tintement wouldn't let me. I couldn't bring myself to break my word to my cousin."

"You can't bring yourself to break your word about anything!" Maurice said, "I think that's the first thing your mother taught you."

"Hmm, you haven't been able to bring yourself to talk about mother for a long time." Belle said, "What changed?"

"I don't think she would want me always mourning over her death." he basically said and then he sighed, "I still don't have the heart to get rid that family portrait of us."

"I don't either of us could get rid of it." Belle said as she got up and stared out the window, "It was the last portrait of us before she passed away." Belle just plainly decided to go along with her father, she would leave about her mother being alive...up to Veronica herself.

"Though I should apologize to you, Belle." Maurice said, she looked back at her father.

"What on earth for?" she asked.

"For not realizing your behavior around Fiona." Maurice said, "You were scared of her and...I was nothing but a crazy idiot who didn't believe you."

"Papa, how could you think that?!" Belle said as she walked up to him, "There was nothing for you to do anyway, Fiona kept her eyes on me, Tintement and you. She didn't want you to know because you were the reason to get close to me. I know...Fiona...was the only mother in your life before grandma died, despite she was your stepmother."

"That doesn't matter," Maurice said, "I promised your mother that I would everything to make sure that you're safe and well taken of...and...I failed in that regard."

"Papa...it's over now." Belle said, "The least you can do is accept that this is all over and look towards the future." Maurice sighed and smiled at his daughter.

"You're right about that," he said, "you...are so much...like your mother."

* * *

"You are really excited, aren't you?" Tintement asked as Adam kept on walking further from her.

"I haven't been out of my castle for ten years," Adam said, "so yes, I am a little excited."

"Your highness," Tintement said, Adam stopped at the bridge.

"Please, call me Adam." he said.

"Very well...Adam...forgive me for pushing a boundary," she said, "but...seeing you in that...form...will you ever tell me?" Adam groaned when Tintement asked about him being a Beast, but he knew that she did deserve an explanation.

"Maybe Belle can tell you," Adam said, "I rather not talk about it again."

"Too painful, huh?" she asked, "I understand emotional pain, so I won't push it. Let's just head into town and get back as soon as possible."

They crossed the bridge and entered the town. Since it was sunset, there wasn't a whole lot of people walking around. The few townspeople that were around were staring very strangely at Tintement.

"How come they're staring at you like this?" Adam whispered.

"I think it's because I look like my cousin." Tintement answered as they continued walking, "I only came into this town once and everyone assumed I was Belle. They were pretty nasty to me because of that reason. I just ignore it until they open their mouths, you should do whatever you can to keep your mouth shut, unless you want them to know she's here."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Adam said as they tried to make their trip quick. When they got to the little food store, Adam waited outside while Tintement walked in. As Tintement was paying and gathering food into her basket, the store owner thought Tintement was Belle.

"What are you doing back here, Belle?" the store owner said in an angry voice, "You're not welcome back in this village!" Tintement growled as she turned around and faced the store owner.

"Wrong lady, sir!" She snapped back.

"You're not Belle?" he asked.

"Of course not!" she said as she was storming out, "So pick on somebody else!" Tintement slammed the door behind her to prove her point. Her face was turning pink as she turned to Adam.

"I thought I had a nasty temper." Adam said.

"You probably have better control over yours than mine." Tintement said, "This village doesn't want anything to do with my cousin now...they need to pick on someone else." Adam continued to listen to Tintement sticking up for Belle, it reminded him when his own cousin, Sagittarius, stuck up for him. Not a lot of people didn't accept Adam because of the reign of his father's family.

* * *

King Henry Colère, Adam's father, was a very abusive man to both his wife and to the people in his kingdom, just like all the other men before him, like his father, grandfather and many other generations. Because Adam came from that kind of family, people always were mean, cruel and always teased their young prince, despite that the king was dead and the kind queen. When Sagittarius came into Adam's life, he always made sure that his cousin was never treated so badly again.

Adam started to remember, when he was seven, an seventeen-year-old boy threw a bucket of fresh fish at Adam and Sagittarius saw the whole thing. Before the boy could push Adam into the pile of fish, Sagittarius got int a fist fight with the boy. The boy ran off before Sagittarius could do anything worse and Adam got a bath afterwards. He still didn't know if he should contact Sagittarius, half says he should, but another half says absolutely not.

* * *

"You're awfully quiet, Adam." Tintement said, Adam snapped back into reality, "I got everything, let's head back."

"Okay then." Adam said as he followed Tintement, "It's a good thing Belle didn't come with us."

"Yep," she said, "another reason why I volunteered to go instead of letting her go." When they reached the bridge, Adam spoke up.

"Tintement?"

"Yes, Adam?"

"Can I...discuss something with you?" He asked.

"Now?" she asked.

"No, until Belle goes to sleep."

"That important enough where you don't want her around?" Tintement asked.

"It's about...a situation I think...you'll be able to help me out with." Adam explained.

"Okay, I'll try." She answered as they arrived at the door of the cottage.

* * *

The doorknob rattled and the door opened, Belle saw Adam and Tintement walking inside.

"About time that you're back." Maurice said.

"I'll get started making dinner." Belle said as she stood up.

"Oh no!" Tintement said, "You sit yourself back down, I'll make dinner."

"Tintement, you already went into town..." Belle said, but before she could say another word, Tintement started walking towards the kitchen.

"Either you stay out here with everyone or I'll glue you to the floor!" Tintement said. Belle's face dropped, she knew that Tintement was serious when she said that.

"All right, all right then." Belle said, Tintement nodded and went into the kitchen.

"You say I'm like my mother, papa?" Belle said as she turned around, "Well, Tintement is like her father."

"I heard that!" Tintement said from the kitchen.

"Let me at least help you, Tintement." Belle said, "I can't sit around the whole time." Tintement groaned and finally said,

"Get in here then." Belle smiled and went into the kitchen. Adam was left alone with Maurice.

"So did you enjoy your trip into the village?" Maurice asked.

"Sort of." Adam answered, "I'm just glad Belle didn't go with us."

"Why? What happened?" Maurice asked, Adam told him about the villagers reactions towards Tintement because they thought she was Belle. Maurice couldn't believe what he heard, they have exiled his daughter.

"The sooner we leave, the better." Maurice said, "They already tried to throw me into the asylum, who knows what they will do to her?"

"So far, I don't think they know Belle is here," Adam said, "but you're right, we should pack the rest of everything that way we can leave as soon as possible."

"Good idea." Maurice said, "Hopefully, they won't see us in the morning. If they do, I don't know they'll do or what can we do."

"The only thing we can do right now is wait until morning." Adam said, "Until then, we just have to keep our eyes or ears open." Just then, they heard Belle's voice.

"Dinner is ready!"


	5. Tintement's Wise Words

"Good night, Adam." Belle said as she walked up the stairs.

"Good night, Belle." Adam said, Belle turned and walked up the rest of the stairs.

"I think I'll get some shut-eye too." Maurice said as he rose from his chair, "See you in the morning."

"Night Uncle Maurice." Tintement said as she cleaned the rest of the dishes. She watched him go up the stairs as Adam leaned against the wall. When Tintement was finished, she turned around and looked at Adam. "So...what is it you want to talk to me about?" Adam sighed as he looked at Tintement.

"Its more like...I'm asking for advice." He said.

"About?" she asked, Adam sighed again.

"My older cousin." he finally said.

"Ohhhh, you have a cousin as well?" Tintement said with a smile.

"He's ten years older than me."

"Let me guess, there's a riff-raff between the two of you." Tintement said.

"Riff-Raff?" Adam asked.

"In other words, something happened between the two of you." she said.

"Here's the situation," he said, "I haven't seen my cousin, Sagittarius, for twelve long years..."

"Start at the beginning first!" Tintement said, "I need to know every detail in order for me to understand." Adam sighed, he had the feeling that she would ask that.

"I'm going to warn you," Adam said, "this is going to hard for me to talk about this."

"I'm as patient as that little cousin of mine," Tintement said, "so go ahead, take your time." Adam went over to the window and stared at his reflection in the glass.

"Sagittarius was more of a brother than my cousin." Adam said, "He was...the only 'man' in my life...that loved me."

"Abusive father?" Tintement asked, despite that she knew the answer to that. "Keep going, you don't have to tell me about that part."

"I'm glad you said that, I rather not talk about _that_ evil man." he said, "Seeing you sticking up for Belle when we were in the village...reminded me when I was picked on. Sagittarius always fought other kids to keep them away from me and to learn their lesson. Nobody wanted me around them or any of their kids because...of what my father...did when he controlled the kingdom."

"Another thing that you and Belle have in common," she said, "you both were the only kids in the family. I was the only one that was close to a sister to Belle, we loved each other's company. We did everything together...despite what our aunt did to us."

"But...did you ever do something to Belle?" Adam asked, "Something that was so bad that Belle didn't want anything to do with you?" Tintement made a sad sigh as she grabbed the top of a chair.

"Once," she said as tears started falling down, "it was an accident. It took a very long time for Belle to forgive me."

"What happened?" Adam asked, Tintement raised her head and looked at the ceiling as the memory came back.

"I...got into a fight with someone I knew, his name was Raoul." Tintement explained, "We weren't friends at all, but we knew each other because my father was friends with his father. I didn't like him one little bit, but he always picked on Belle when our parents weren't around. Because of our fathers' friendship, Raoul didn't pick on me, but I knew it wasn't fair for him to pick on Belle, mainly because he didn't know her and because of her love of books. Our parents, except Belle's mother, didn't believe us, they didn't want to believe that their friend's kid was picking on us. One day, Raoul crossed a line and I couldn't take it anymore. If my parents weren't going to help us, I was going take care of it myself."

"What did you do?" Adam asked.

"It was two weeks before Belle's seventh birthday," Tintement said, "I saved up my allowance to get Belle a special doll. It was the only thing she asked to have for her birthday."

"What kind of doll was it?" he asked.

"A bird doll, it was a dove." Tintement answered, "Belle didn't have a lot of toys to play with, she always played with my old ones. She just wanted one to call her own. I was wrapping up the present in its box when Raoul reared his ugly head. He...snatched Belle's present away from me, tore up the wrapping and the box. He also tore the doll apart, saying it was a stupid present. Nothing could express how angry I was when he crossed that line. I...picked up a stool and threw it at Raoul. I missed and the stool broke as soon as it hit the wall, I grabbed a piece of the stool and turned back at Raoul, he became so afraid of me now that I was going after him. I chased him all over the house, I wanted to prove my point to him."

"Where were your parents?" Adam asked.

"Out shopping with Raoul's father," she answered, "I didn't get in trouble until after 'it' happened. I somehow lost Raoul when I was chasing him. Turns out he went outside which is why I didn't find him. Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming from around the hall, I thought it was Raoul. I said out loud that he wasn't going to get away from me that easily. I saw the shadow coming my way, I went into the hallway and threw down the stool leg in my hand. When it made contact, that's when I looked up." Tintement couldn't stand anymore, she sat down in the chair she was holding. "It wasn't Raoul I hit...it was Belle. She just came to the house with her mother while I was chasing Raoul. I...ended up hitting Belle right on her head, but...since she was a child, she thought I was furious with her and that I did it on purpose. Nobody wanted to hear my side of the story, I got grounded for two weeks because of that."

"But...it was accident," Adam said, "you didn't know that it was Belle in the hallway."

"Exactly, but Belle, at the time, didn't want to hear it because she was scared of me." Tintement said, "She was angry at me for a long time."

"What changed her mind?" he asked.

"A couple of weeks before Belle's mother died and when...that horrible night happened to me...I decided to visit Belle. Of course, she still didn't want anything to do with me, but when I said a certain phrase from one of her books, she gave me the benefit of the doubt."

"What did you say?"

"Everyone deserves to be heard before the sentence is announced." Tintement said, "That experience with Belle and all the fairy-tales I read to her taught me that lesson when I needed it most. When Belle heard my side of the story, she apologized to me over and over again. I told her that she wasn't to blame, but she continue to do that. Did you ever hear your cousin's side of the story before you made up your mind about it?" Adam immediately knew the answer to that.

"No...I didn't." he answered, trying to stay calm, "I was...nine years old at the time and Sagittarius is ten years older than I am. After my mother passed away, Sagittarius said I could stay with him. I said 'yes', he was the only family I had left besides his mother. I stayed with him for a few months until..."

"When everything fell apart?" she asked.

"Yes," Adam answered, "before my mother died, Sagittarius promised me and my mother that no harm would come to me. He promised that...he would not do anything that my father did. After staying with Sagittarius for four months...it happened."

"What?" she asked.

"With me still being a kid, I wanted Sagittarius to play with me." Adam said, "I was walking through his castle, looking for him. When I approached his precious glass room, I heard angry shouting inside. Sagittarius didn't want me in his glass room because there a lot of sharp glass pieces and there was a lot of heat in there, but because I was looking for him, I knocked on the door. There was no answer, but I could still hear shouting behind the door. I knew it was Sagittarius behind the door, so I opened the door. When I did...Sagittarius picked a glass pipe and threw it at the door. I didn't see it at first because it was made of clear glass." Adam made a sad sigh, "The pipe landed on the door where my left hand was, the pipe broke and...shards were stuck in my hand."

"Adam, I'm so sorry." Tintement said.

"I screamed when the glass cut up the skin on my fingers," Adam continued, "Sagittarius came out from the room, he looked so angry that it scared me. I was so scared of him that...I ran away."

"Where to?" she asked.

"The only other place I knew, the castle I grew up, the one I'm living in now." he explained, "The servants were shocked that I was back, I didn't want to see, hear or speak to Sagittarius again. Because of everything happened in my life, I didn't want anything or anyone to touch my heart. Sagittarius sent out a letter to try and find me, my servants answered the letter and sent another one out. He came to the castle and tried to apologize to me, but because of my decision and his angry reaction, I didn't want to hear it. Even though my hand was bandaged, I picked up whatever I could get my hands on and threw it at Sagittarius and his servants. They all ran off and I never saw them again."

"So...why are you asking for advice?" Tintement asked.

"I want to accept my title and role as 'prince'," Adam said, "but the only way I can get it is through a family member and...Sagittarius is the only one who can give it to me."

"Ah...I see." she said, "You want to know if you should give him a chance to be heard. Well, as I said, everyone deserves to be heard before the sentence is made, there are probably parts of the story that you didn't know about or...you didn't understand at the time because you were a child."

"I don't know if...he would want to talk to me." Adam said.

"If he loved you so much that he took you in when your mother died, then...you shouldn't doubt his love for you." Tintement said, "You should give him a chance. Another thing you should consider...it's better to forgive now than never to forgive at all. It may have been twelve years since you seen him, but...everyone deserves a second chance at everything, even forgiveness." Adam listened to all the advice Tintement gave him, she was right; everyone deserved a second chance at things.

"Tintement...thank you." Adam said, she smiled and nodded her head.

"You're welcome," she said, "now go get some sleep, we've got a big day tomorrow."

"Where will you sleep?" he asked.

"Don't worry about me," she said, "you take care of yourself. I'll deal with everything else." Tintement watched Adam walk out to the main room, she then blew out the candle in the kitchen, went outside and climbed up to the top of the house. She sat on the roof and stared at the village.

'_I won't let anything happen to my baby cousin'. _Tintement thought to herself, "_If this village plans to do __anything to her or Adam or Uncle Maurice, I'll make sure they'll regret it."_


	6. A Sneak Attack (Almost)

**Another request from a fan, hopefully this chapter is to their liking.**

* * *

Everyone in the cottage was sleeping; Belle was in her old room, Maurice in his own, Adam was in the living room and Tintement was on top of the house. She felt the most comfortable being outside rather being cooped in a house like an animal. Tintement was trying to sleep, but because of so many years of being a bat at night and a bird during the day, her senses were still very heighten. Tintement missed being able to sleep like dead, but there were _a few_ advantages with her senses still heighten. She managed to catch an hour of sleep before she heard a noise. She groaned as she rubbed her eyes.

"Ugh, I hate these night noises." Tintement whispered to herself. "Always a bother." She was going to try to go back to sleep...until she heard a twig snap. Now usually Tintement would just ignore it, but because it seemed real close, she decided to look around. Just then, Tintement heard a rustle, coming from the left side of the cottage. She crawled over the left side of the cottage, where the water wheel was. She took a peek from the roof and saw something...or rather _someone_ hiding over by the water wheel.

_'Such a short person with a large nose.' _Tintement thought to herself as she stared at the person. _'Why is he here in the middle of the night' _Suddenly, she saw something glimmer in his hand. Tintement squinted her eyes, she almost gasped when she figured out what it was...a knife; a hunting knife.

The short little man was making his way towards the front door of the house. He looked around him to make sure no one was around, but he didn't look up, so he didn't see Tintement. He walked up the few stairs and was about to jiggle the doorknob, but then, he felt a harsh blow to his head. Then everything went black.

* * *

When the man came around, he still felt pain to his head.

_'Uh...what hit me?'_ he thought to himself.

"About time you woke up." said a female voice, the short man looked around and saw a woman standing in front of him, it was Tintement with her arms crossed. She jumped off the roof, gave a blow to his head and dragged him down to the cellar. "I tied you up and gagged you, so don't even try to fight." she said, the man looked at himself. Tintement was right, he was tied up with rope and his mouth was gagged with a piece of cloth. "I'll remove the gag if you answer my questions." Tintement said, "But if you even try to make an effort to scream, I'll put that gag so deep in your throat you won't be able to get it out! Are we clear?" The short man was very afraid of Tintement as he nodded 'yes'. She grabbed the gag and pulled it out of his mouth. He spat out the small piece of cloth still in his mouth. "What's your name?" Tintement asked.

"L-L-Lefou." he said.

"What in lord's name are you doing here?" she asked, Lefou was hesitant about answering that. "I make good on my threats, so answer the question!" Tintement didn't want to be any louder than she should, she didn't want to wake everyone else.

"To see if Belle really was here." Lefou answered.

"Why?"

"Because she's exiled here!" he said.

"Keep your voice down!" Tintement said, "If everyone hears you, I'll make sure that you won't speak again, got it!" Lefou nodded, he was shaking in fear. "Why is my little cousin exiled?"

"Because...she killed our most respected hunter, Gaston." Lefou said, Tintement wasn't believing _that_ part of the conversation.

"Where's your proof?" she asked.

"Gaston gathered a mob together to fight this beast that lived in a castle," Lefou explained, "we were going to destroy it before it came to our village. But when we got to the castle, there was all these objects that were fighting us. We got so scared that we ran away from the castle, but Gaston never came back."

"What makes you think that it was my cousin?"

"Because Belle refused to marry Gaston and made a mockery out of him, she even told the mob that the beast was her _friend_ and I saw her galloping towards the castle!" Lefou said, "When Gaston never came back, we didn't want Belle to come back either. We told Gaston's brother, Anton, the news about what happened. He wants revenge against Belle, so when rumor spread around that Belle was back here, Anton told me to come here to see if it was true."

"What does he plan to do to her?" Tintement asked as she grabbed his neck collar.

"Do what Gaston never was able to do." Lefou said choking, "Force Belle to marry _him_. Once he does that, he plans to send her father _and_ herself to the asylum. That's his way of torturing her for murdering his brother." Fury was building inside Tintement, no one in the village knew the whole story and they _assumed _that Belle killed Gaston. She had to get Adam, Belle and Maurice out of the cottage and out of the village. She held his neck collar even tighter than before.

"Listen to me well, Lefou; you're going to say that you never saw Belle!" Tintement said in a deep voice. "If you even let a small bit of it slip out of your mouth, you're going to regret ever listening to Anton, are we clear?"

"C-c-c-c-crystal." Lefou said in fear.

"Tintement, are you down here?" Tintement looked over at the stairs and saw Adam coming down. Adam couldn't believe what he was seeing when he got down to the basement; Tintement was holding this short man by the neck collar.

"Before you say anything, Adam," Tintement said, "go wake up Belle and Uncle Maurice, this is serious. Go!" Adam turned around and went back in the house, he could tell that Tintement was serious by the sound of her voice. Tintement pushed the gag back in Lefou's mouth and dragged him to the main level of the cottage. She threw him over at the wood stove as she heard Belle coming down the stairs. The last thing Tintement wanted to do was wake everybody, but this was a very serious matter.

When Belle came down the rest of the stairs, she saw Tintement with a very worried look on her face.

"Tintement, what's wrong?" Belle asked, Tintement pointed at Lefou, who was still tied up and gagged. Belle's eyes widen, she was about to ask why he was here, but Tintement interrupted her.

"When Adam gets Uncle Maurice out of bed, I'll tell you what's going on." Tintement said, trying to contain her anger. She then looked back at Lefou, he was deathly scared of her now. "Remember, one scream and it will be the last thing you'll ever do." Tintement said to Lefou, he just nodded to show that he agreed to what Tintement was telling him. Just then, Maurice and Adam came down the stairs. Maurice was still a little groggy, but Adam made sure that he didn't fall down the stairs. When Maurice saw Lefou, his body snapped awake.

"What is he doing here?" Maurice said.

"I asked him the same thing," Tintement said, "he wanted to see if Belle was here."

"What for?" Belle asked.

"I'll let him answer that." Tintement said, she turned back at Lefou and pulled out the gag. "Tell them what you told me." She said, Lefou was too scared of Tintement to _not_ do what she said. Lefou told them the whole story, Belle felt like her heart stopped. How could the village think of such a thing? But when Lefou mentioned Anton, Gaston's brother, Belle fainted on her feet, but Adam caught her before she actually fell to the wooden floor.

"By the looks of things," Adam said, "Belle knows him."

"More than know," Maurice said, "I don't want to hear _his_ name again!"

"Note taken, Uncle." Tintement said.

"Wait, uncle?" Lefou asked, Tintement's temper burst and she punched Lefou on the top of his head.

"You really are a fool!" she angrily said as she raised her fists, "Did you not hear what I've been saying? Belle's my cousin and Maurice is my uncle! Before I get even more upset, what were you planning to do when you figured out Belle was here?"

"Well...I was supposed to confirm that Belle was here and then go back to the tavern." Lefou said, "But..."

"But what?" Adam said with such anger as he held onto Belle.

"Answer us!" Tintement said as she grabbed Lefou's neck.

"But if I didn't return in two hours," Lefou said choking, "Anton and some of Gaston's old friends will come here." Everyone was in shock, except Belle since she fainted from hearing about Gaston's brother.

"We've had him here for about an hour." Tintement said worriedly.

"That means we only have another hour until they get here." Maurice said.

"Then let's gather the last few things that's in the cottage, put them in the carriage and get out of here." Adam said, professionally but serious. Maurice nodded and agreed with him, so did Tintement. She looked back at Lefou.

"Listen to me well, Lefou," Tintement growled as she held Lefou by the neck, "you tell anyone what had happened or if Belle was here, I'll be your worst nightmare!" Lefou closed his eyes as he nodded his head. Tintement then gave him a sharp blow to the head, knocking him out of consciousness. She looked back at Maurice and Adam. "Let's get busy."


	7. Escape

Tintement, Adam and Maurice quickly went to work trying to get their last few belongings into the carriage. They went out of the house two at a time because Belle was still unconscious from fainting. No one didn't want to risk leaving Belle alone in either the cottage or the carriage, in case they were being watched. Lefou was still unconscious from when Tintement gave him that harsh blow to the head. It was hard to keep their worries at bay as they moved the last few things, but they did what ever they could not to get into a frenzy.

The hour was almost up when Adam carried Belle onto the very full carriage, Maurice quickly got in after them. Tintement was just about to hop into the carriage...until she heard other horses and the rough footsteps of mens' boots.

"Go without me!" Tintement shouted as she went around the carriage.

"We can't!" Maurice shouted, "I lost you once! I can't lose you again!"

"Go! Move it!" she shouted, she slapped the rear of the horse. The horse reared and ran off into the forest.

"Tintement!" Maurice yelled as he tried to grab the reins of the horse.

"At least...Belle will be safe." Tintement said to herself as she stared out into the forest.

"Hey you!" shouted a man's voice. Tintement wasn't afraid as she turned around. There was a small group of men, only five of them with three on horses, but there was one that stood out from all of them. He had these dark green eyes, black hair, wearing brown leather pants and a black jerkin and was more muscular and taller than the other men.

"What do you want with me?" Tintement said, staring straight into the man's green eyes.

"Do you know a woman named Belle?" he asked as he hopped off his horse.

"Why is that important?" she asked.

"You must tell me where she is if you know her!" he shouted.

"I won't tell you, even if you threaten me!" Tintement said in a bold voice, "You worthless excuse of a man!" The four other men gasped as they went back a few steps.

"No one talks back to Anton!" the black-haired man said as he stepped up to her.

"So you're Anton." Tintement said as she crossed her arms, "I was right, a worthless excuse of a man!" Anton raised his arm, he was going to slap Tintement across the face. But before he landed the blow, Tintement quickly dodged it. Anton swung around in a circle and fell backwards to the ground. Tintement laughed at the spectacle, but that made Anton furious. "A place where you belong!" she teased, "A pig playing in the dirt!" Tintement could see the fire in his eyes as he stood up. "What's wrong?" Tintement asked, "Scared of fighting a girl?"

"You're no match for me!" Anton shouted.

"Care to prove me wrong?" she teased, "Or are you too _chicken_ to fight me?" Anton was so angry that he was going to do whatever it could to beat down Tintement. The other men just stayed out of it, they didn't want to get in the way of Anton's anger.

"You're nothing but cowards!" Anton shouted at the men, who were now scared of Anton.

"Quit stalling with your anger!" Tintement shouted, "I'm waiting!"

* * *

"Whoa! Whoa!" Maurice said to the horse as he tried to grab the reins. Adam was holding onto both the carriage and to Belle, who was still fainted. He didn't want Belle to fall of the carriage. The horse was still galloping from Tintement slapping its behind. After four failed attempts, Maurice finally grabbed the reins on the fifth try. "Whoa! Whoa!" he said again as he pulled the reins, the horse calmed down and slowed down to a trot when he felt someone grab the reins. The horse soon came down to a stop, Maurice looked over at Adam. "Is Belle...?"

"Don't worry," Adam said as he sat up, "she's okay."

"You?" Maurice asked.

"I'm fine." Adam said.

"I just hope Tintement is okay as well." Maurice said in a worried voice.

"If she's as tough as she says," Adam said, "then I think she'll be fine." Maurice didn't seem convinced.

"I thought she was gone when her parents died," Maurice said, "I thought my family was gone, now that I know Tintement is alive...I don't know if I can handle it again."

"I've seen Tintement try and fight me." Adam said, remembering when Belle and Tintement were still under the spell by their Aunt Celia, "She packs quite a fighting spirit in her. I still think she'll be fine." Maurice was still very skeptical about it, Adam then crossed his arms. "How long has it been since you've seen Tintement?"

"Almost eleven years." Maurice answered.

"You don't completely know her since it's been so long." Adam added, "The least you can do is give a chance to believe that she'll be fine." Maurice was actually surprised by Adam's words, Adam just thought about what Tintement told him about second chances. He thought that Maurice should give it a chance that she'll be fine and will come back.

"You're right." Maurice said, "I should just believe that Tintement will be back."

"Good," Adam said as he smiled, "now let's get back to the castle before somebody sees us."

"You make sure that Belle doesn't fall off the carriage," Maurice said as he turned back to the road ahead, "I'll direct the horse."

"Very well, I won't push it." Adam said, Maurice snapped the reins, telling the horse to go forward. The horse went into a trot through the dark forest, but Maurice was able to remember what path to take from when they were heading to the village the day before. Adam just kept his eyes on his wonderful fiancee, who was still very much out of it.

After twenty minutes walking through the forest, Maurice started to remember his surroundings.

"We shouldn't be more than another ten minutes." Maurice said.

"You're right." Adam said looking around. There are things in the forest that he had done to remember_ his_ way back to the castle, when he was still a beast. He would claw trees and dig holes to make landmarks to know where he was and how far away his castle was. Adam saw one of those trees he clawed as Maurice passed it.

"If you have something on your mind, Adam," Maurice said, "you can tell me."

"I rather not," Adam said, "...considering your reaction back at the cottage."

"Ah...this about Anton." Maurice guessed. "That selfish greedy monster. Belle is a better person to explain about him and that no good brother of his...considering what he tried to do years ago."

"What happened?"

"I would rather wait until we get to the castle," Maurice said as he looked back at Adam, "I don't want Belle to wake up to end up hearing us talk about him." Adam only nodded, he sensed how tense and sensitive the topic was.

Adam looked behind him, Belle was just lying across the carriage roof. Her hands were on her stomach and her head was facing towards him. He gently grabbed her shoulders and positioned her where she was sitting in his lap. He could feel how cold she was, but there was something else he felt...fear. Whatever that man did to Belle...it was bad enough where anyone can sense her fear. Adam was going to make sure that Belle would never feel this way towards him nor about anyone else again.

* * *

After another ten minutes, Maurice and Adam saw the castle not too far away, only about ten feet away from the gate. When they got to the iron gate, Adam released Belle, hopped off the carriage and opened the gate. Once the horse and carriage were on the castle grounds, Adam closed the gate behind them. He thought about locking it, but like Maurice, he was worried about Tintement. He decided to lock the gate, but only enough where the wild animals can't get in. Adam walked across the bridge and met up with Maurice, who was just climbing off the carriage.

"Belle's still out of it." Maurice said as Adam approached, "I don't know how we're going to carry all those heavy trunks into the castle with all your servants asleep."

"Well...I think...they can stay out here for the night." Adam said, staring at the carriage, "I doubt anything in there is going to get stolen."

"You have a point." Maurice said, "Besides...Belle is due for a soft bed right now."

"So are you." Adam said, "Do you think you'll find your room on your own, Maurice?"

"You not asking me that just so you can have my daughter to yourself, are you?" Maurice asked, Adam's face suddenly turned pink. Maurice chuckled at the sight. "I'm just teasing, Adam. I can find my way to my room. Just make sure that Belle gets comfortable."

"I plan to, Maurice. You don't have to worry about that."

"Good then." Maurice said as he turned to the main door, "Have a good night, Adam."

"You too, Maurice." Adam said, Maurice walked into the castle, but he left the door open so Adam could get in. Adam climbed up to the carriage and gathered Belle in his arms. He walked through the front door and, with his back, closed it behind him.

As Adam carried Belle through the castle, he remembered the first time he did this for her. They had finished celebrating the broken curse, Adam was having one last dance with Belle. She started stumbling all over her feet...mainly because she hadn't slept it two days. At first, Belle was adamant that she was able to get up to her room on her own without Adam's help, but she almost fell flat on her face...and she would have...if Adam hadn't grabbed her in time. Belle finally decided to let Adam help her, but she wasn't expecting him to carry her in his arms.

Adam soon snapped out of his thoughts when he felt something on his purple jerkin. He stopped and looked down...to see Belle's small hand holding onto the jerkin, he looked at her face. Belle still had her eyes closed, but she started to snuggle up to close to Adam's chest. He felt Belle starting to get much warmer than she was before, freezing cold with fear, but now; she felt warm and happy. Adam just smiled to himself as he carried Belle the rest of the way to her room.

* * *

When Adam approached Belle's bedroom door, he slowly placed her on her feet so he could open the doorknob. When he opened the door, he helped Belle, sort of, walk into the room. Adam closed the door behind him and then placed Belle on the bed. He was about to stand back up, but he saw...and felt...Belle was still holding onto his jerkin. He was about to open her hand to let go, but then he heard her moan in her sleep.

"Adam," Belle moaned, "...don't...leave me again."

Adam didn't have the heart to try to remove Belle's hand from his jerkin, he knew that Belle needed him. He may not know what she was dreaming of or thinking of, but he knows when he's needed...and this was one of those times. Adam didn't care if he got in trouble with Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts or anyone else, he quickly tried to remove his boots and remove Belle's shoes. He left them next to the bed and got into the bed with Belle next to him. Adam gently pushed her hair back and whispered;

"Good night, my Belle."


	8. Belle Wakes Up

Belle woke up the next day, still thinking that she was in the cottage. She had a pretty nasty headache as she swung her legs around the other side of the bed, but when she looked around, she realized that she wasn't in her old room at the cottage. Belle was back in her room in the castle, she didn't remember anything from last night. The last thing she _did _remember was saying good night to Adam, her father and her cousin. When Belle tried to stand up, she couldn't maintain her balance at first. She sat back on the bed and rested her head back on the pillows.

_'Why does my head hurt so much?' _Belle asked herself, _'How did I get back here?' _She tried to stand again, this time she grabbed the side of the bed to prevent her from losing her balance again. Just then, she heard something, voices. Belle looked over to her bedroom door, the voices were coming from outside her room. Belle slowly walked over to the door, she was trying hard not to lose her balance. She didn't understand why she had this headache, she still didn't know how she got back to the castle. _'Did I overslept?' _she thought to herself, _'Did we gather everything from the cottage?'_ When she got to her bedroom door, she rested her right hand on the doorknob and leaned her head against it.

"Sire, I can't believe you did such a thing!" Belle knew that was Cogsworth's voice, "The two of you aren't married yet for you to share the same bed!"

"Cogsworth, keep your voice down!" Belle knew for a fact that, that was Adam's voice, "Belle is still resting after that long ride we had!"

"Forgive me sire, but do you see my point?" Cogsworth asked, Belle heard Adam groan.

"Yes, I do, but it wasn't my fault that Belle wouldn't let go of my jerkin. Also, she was having a bad dream and I couldn't bare getting her to let go!"

"Sire, you said she fainted, so how can you be sure she was having a nightmare?"

"Cogsworth...are you questioning me?" Belle could hear that Adam's voice was getting tense, a sign that he was getting ready to lose his temper.

"A-A-Absolutely not, sire!" Cogsworth said in a fearful voice, "But-"

"No buts!" Adam said trying to contain his anger, "I did what I did to make sure she was comfortable!" Belle could hear how honest Adam was when he said that, she smiled to herself. She may not remember doing what Adam said she did, but she believed him. She decided to twist the doorknob and open the door.

* * *

"But sire," Cogsworth said still in a worried voice, "I don't mean to add more problems but-"

"What did I just say?" Adam said, trying to control his temper, "No buts!"

"Sire, I'm trying to tell you something!" Cogsworth said.

"What?" Adam asked, sounding frustrated. Cogsworth just pointed to what was behind his master. Adam turned around, he was so surprised to see Belle leaning against her bedroom door. "Cogsworth go!"

"But sire-"

"I said Go! Shoo! Get back what you need to do! Go!" Cogsworth jumped like a startled cat and ran off before his master got more upset. Adam was so frustrated that he was almost ready to pull his red hair. He quickly calmed down and turned back to Belle. "Did I...wake you up?"

"No, you did not." Belle answered, trying to put on a smile. "So...what did Cogsworth do to get on your nerves this time?"

"How long have you been up?" Adam asked, Belle almost rolled her eyes when he didn't answer her question. She knew Adam would ask that question before answering her.

"I just woke up." she answered, "I'll ask again, what did Cogsworth do this time?"

"He was...upset because he...found out that I spent the night...with you...in your bed." he said, sounding a little embarrassed.

"You did?" Belle asked.

"You don't remember?" Adam asked, Belle just shook her head 'no'. "You fainted last night."

"I did?" Belle was a little shocked to hear that she fainted...because she knew there was only one reason why she fainted. "Then, I don't need to hear about it."

"You're...positive about that?"

"Yes, I am!" Adam almost jumped when Belle said that with such seriousness. When Belle realized what she did, she felt bad. She didn't mean to sound like she was biting his head off. "I'm sorry, Adam. I didn't mean it in the harsh voice I said it in."

"Well, you have been sleeping for half the day, so I don't blame you at all."

"What did you say? I was asleep for how long?"

"You've been sleeping throughout the night up till now, which is 12:30 PM." Adam explained.

"I need to get out of my nightgown, get dressed and get out of my room." Belle said somewhat quickly.

"You don't have to...do that right away," he said, "you can stay in bed."

"I rather not," she said, "I want to get everything done and over with. Will I...see you downstairs?" Adam smiled and answered;

"Yes, everything that was in the cottage is now in the parlor. First things first though-"

"What?" Belle asked.

"You need to eat something first...and don't try getting out of it." Adam said. Belle rolled her eyes once again, she knew this was Adam making sure that she came first before anything needed to be done.

"Okay then," Belle said, "food first, then we'll get to work."

"I'll meet you down in the dining hall." Adam said, Belle nodded her head and she gently closed her door. He left the hallway and went down to the dining hall.

* * *

"Be careful with everything in there!"

"We'll make sure we're careful!"

Maurice was outside with some of the servants, getting the trunks out of the carriage he, Adam and Belle were riding on during the night. Maurice was still somewhat shaken from last night, he couldn't believe that the village exiled his daughter, but he was very happy that they got away before Anton, Gaston's older brother, could spot them. Maurice still couldn't shake the sad feeling in his heart about Tintement, she made them leave the cottage without her, but he did understand why Tintement did that. She had to make sure that Belle was safe, Maurice knew that she always felt that way toward Belle, at least for the amount of time he knew Tintement. He was still very worried about his niece, wondering if she's okay after leaving her behind like that, even though it was her idea.

"Maurice?" He quickly snapped back into reality when he heard someone say his name. He turned around to see Mrs. Potts, with her usual purple outfit and white apron. "Is something wrong?"

"I can't begin to explain it." Maurice said, but Mrs. Potts could see he has something to get off his chest.

"Talking about it helps." she basically said, Maurice just stared at her motherly face.

"You wouldn't understand."

"I might not," Mrs. Potts said, Maurice was heading to go inside the castle, "but having someone to hear you out is better than nothing." He stopped in his tracks and looked back at Mrs. Potts, she could see the pain he was holding in.

"All right. Do you know anyplace that's private?" he asked.

"Follow me."

* * *

**This chapter is a little shorter than the others, sorry about that.**


	9. Maurice's Memories of the Past

"Tell me what's the problem." Mrs. Potts said as she poured a cup of tea for Maurice. They were sitting in a room that the servants didn't use very often, just a spare room in the servant quarters.

"For so long," Maurice started, "I thought my brother and his family were dead. In fact I knew they were dead."

"How did they die?" she asked, Maurice just stared at the ceiling.

"Somehow their house caught fire...my brother and his wife...were caught in the blaze. They...never had the chance." he said, Mrs. Potts could hear his voice breaking, "I also thought their daughter, Tintement, also died in the blaze. I thought the fire turned her body to ash...I couldn't believe at first, but...she managed to survive."

"Survive?"

"Yes, I just found out sometime ago," Maurice still couldn't believe what he was saying, "Tintement showed up at the cottage, I didn't want to believe it at first because...I thought she was dead for so long."

"Sometimes...Miracles can happen when we least expect it." Mrs. Potts said.

"I couldn't believe that I had a piece of my brother back," Maurice said, "and now...I can't believe that I lost it again."

"Lost it again?" she asked.

"Last night, we left the cottage without her." he said, "That village exiled my daughter and me...we had to get out of there before..._he_...showed up."

"He?" Mrs Potts asked, "Who's he?" Maurice struggled to say his name, he brought some much pain to Belle when she was a teenager.

"Anton." he said with such anger in his voice that Mrs. Potts almost took a step back.

"Sounds like someone you don't like." she said.

"_Don't like?_ I **loathe** him just like my daughter loathes him." Maurice said as he looked out the window. "Gaston's brother was nothing but a true monster. If you thought Gaston was bad when he came here, Anton is much _much _worse." Mrs. Potts swallowed her tea before she spoke.

"How so?" Maurice scoffed to himself.

"Anton has had his eyes on Belle ever since she turned fourteen, he would bother her every time we had to go into town. He would also...do things that he would do when I wasn't more than a few feet away."

"What kind of things?" she asked.

"Things that would _invade_ a lady's privacy," Maurice basically said, Mrs. Potts almost dropped her cup of tea when she heard that, "Belle always felt violated when Anton was near. One night, he crossed a line."

"What did he do?" Mrs. Potts asked, Maurice just stared right into her soft brown eyes.

"Believe me, you don't want to know that detail." he said, "It was that horrible, ever since that night, I made sure Belle stayed inside the cottage until Anton would leave for his hunting trip during the fall and winter seasons. Belle, of course, didn't like the idea of being locked in the house all the time, but she understood why I did that to her."

"So Belle wouldn't come out of her cottage during the spring and summer?" she asked, "It must've been hard."

"It was, but Belle told me she would rather be in a dungeon than be out in the open where Anton could find her." Maurice said, "But every time Anton wasn't around, his equal pig-headed brother of his would go after Belle. At least he didn't violated her...until she refused his marriage proposal. Belle has the same problem Veronica had."

"What problem is that?"

"Veronica had always...had some strange ability to attract men." Maurice said, "I always got angry or jealous when a man tried to convince her to marry one of them instead of me. But...she refused to hear what they had to say...she told me that no matter what the other men tell her...she wouldn't give them a chance because their words were false. I guessed that she meant that they were lying to her."

"By the sounds of things," Mrs. Potts added, "Belle is just as wise as your wife."

"I just wish she was here to see...how great of a woman Belle has become."

"I think she knows herself." Maurice stared at Mrs. Potts' smile, he smiled himself.

"You're right," he said, "talking about things _can_ make it better."

"I have some good advice," she said, "but I'm not that wise. We might as well head to the parlor, that's where everything from your cottage is waiting."

"I don't know what to do with the furniture and my inventions." Maurice said as he opened the door for Mrs. Potts.

"The master didn't tell you?" she asked.

"Tell me what?"

"We have a workroom here in the castle, it's never used. So when the master found out about your inventions, he wants to give you the workroom so you can keep working on them." Nothing could express how excited Maurice was, his own workroom.

"How big is it?" he asked as they walked towards the parlor.

"Very large," Mrs. Potts answered, "plenty of ventilation and large enough to hold a couple of horses."

"I can't wait to see it!" Maurice said, with with excitement.

"I wonder why the master didn't tell you." Mrs. Potts said, "I would think he would've told you by now."

"I think it's because he's still nervous around me." Maurice said, "I've forgiven him about what he's done in the past, it must be because I'll soon be his father-in-law."

"Too bad the queen passed away when the master was a child." Mrs. Potts said in a sad voice, "She would've adored Belle."

"How come no one here ever mentioned his parents?" Maurice asked, Mrs. Potts stopped in her tracks and looked at Maurice. He could see _and sense_ that it was a very sensitive topic.

"Don't ask that again," she said in a very serious matter, "especially in front of the master. We don't want him to go into a state of depression again. His parents area a very sensitive issue."

"At least tell me why?" he asked, Mrs. Potts could see that Maurice just wanted some answers. She sighed and looked around, she had to make sure that nobody was near, especially Adam.

"Because of what his father did." she whispered, taking more precaution. "The master's father was a very abusive man, not just to me and the other servants; he was also very abusive towards his wife and son. The master's mother killed her husband in order to save her son, but a couple of years later, she went into a burning mansion to save Adam. She died two weeks after the master's ninth birthday. After she died, the master wouldn't allow anyone to mention his parents...because of the horrible beatings and who knows what else his father gave him and the...sacrifices his mother did to protect him." Maurice couldn't believe what he heard, what man beats his wife and his own child?

"Make sure that you don't tell the master or Belle about what I've told you!" Mrs. Potts added, in a very serious tone of voice. "If the master finds out, he'll go into his hole of depression!" Maurice couldn't speak after hearing what she told him, he just nodded 'yes' so that Mrs. Potts knows he won't talk about it with anyone. "Good," she calmly said, "now let's get to the parlor."

* * *

"This trunk can go in my room."

"Very well, Mistress." Belle was turning pink when a servant called her 'Mistress'. She, Adam and a few other servants were helping sort everything in the trunks; weather they should go in Belle's room or her father's room.

"I wonder where papa is." Belle said.

"That's a a good question," Adam said, helping sort out the trunks. His muscles were getting sore from moving things around in cottage, trying to escape the village and moving things today.

"I saw him with Mrs. Potts earlier," Lumiere said, standing back up before picking up a trunk. "He might still be with her." Belle didn't know what to feel about her father spending time with Mrs. Potts, especially when she found out the truth that her mother was alive.

"I think I'll go look for him." Belle said, "I know there are certain things in these trunks that only he knows where he wants them." She walked over to the parlor door and opened it, but before she took a few steps out, she saw her father and Mrs. Potts coming towards her. "Never mind, here they come." Belle left the door open for her father and Mrs. Potts. When they came in, Maurice looked through some of the trunks.

"Sire," Mrs. Potts said, "why haven't you told Belle's father about the workroom?"

"Workroom?" Belle asked, she looked at Adam. He slapped his forehead with his hands and slid them down his face.

"Mrs. Potts, it was meant for a surprise!" Adam said, being a little disappointed knowing that the surprise was spoiled.

"Oops," Mrs. Potts softly said, "sorry sire. I didn't mean to spoil it."

"Did you tell him everything?" Adam asked.

"Not everything," Mrs. Potts said, "only how big it is."

"When were you going to tell me?" Belle asked, Adam made a small groan to himself.

"I was going to tell you when your father got in here so I could tell both of you." Adam answered, still sounding disappointed.

"Well," Maurice said, "I do appreciate such a gift, Adam. I'm sorry that I found out this way, but I do thank you."

"When can we see it?" Belle asked.

"Once everything in here is put somewhere." Adam replied, "Can't have everything on the floor."

"Good point." Belle said. Just then, there was a ruckus going on outside. There was a knock on the parlor door, Adam opened the door. One of the guards came in and quickly closed it behind him, the guard had a nasty black eye and was having a hard time catching his breath.

"What happened?" Adam asked.

"Sire," the guard said, trying to catch his breath, "there's a woman...trying to come onto the castle grounds. She looked like she was just in a nasty fight. When we stopped her to ask what she wanted, she started fighting us. You can see the evidence already, she's on her way to get inside the castle."

"What does she want with us?" Mrs. Potts asked. Suddenly, they all heard the woman's voice shouting.

"Get out of my gosh-for-saken way!"

"That's Tintement's voice!" Belle said in shock, she went to the parlor door and ran out.


	10. Tintement's Return

"Get out of my way!" Tintement shouted as she picked up one of the guards' weapons. She had a nasty black eye, red spots all over her clothes and she wasn't using right arm. Many of the guards were trying to block her way to the castle's front doors, but some of the others were running off because of Tintement's brute force, despite she was only using one arm.

As for Tintement herself, she was trying to get into the castle to see if Belle, Adam and Maurice made it there. She couldn't tell because the guards were blocking her way. Many of the guards had spears, bow and arrows and swords; the rest had only their strength alone. If her eyes could turn color, Tintement's would be a bloody red because that's how frustrated and angry she was because the guards won't let her pass. She didn't care about the guards, Tintement had to see that her cousin was safe.

"I said get out of my way, you worthless men!" Tintement shouted as she punched one guard in the stomach and kicked another in the head. Another guard was coming at her with a sword, but Tintement saw him out of the corner of her eye. She got to the ground and swung her leg, at just the right time and the right amount of strength, she made the guard trip. The guard fell backwards as Tintement grabbed his sword, she didn't want him to get stabbed by his own sword.

"Stand down!" shouted a man. Tintement looked over at the castle doors, there was Adam and Belle standing at the door. "Stand down!" Adam was shouting to the guards, they all put their swords, bows and arrows and spears on the ground.

"Tintement!" Belle shouted as she made her way over to her cousin. Tintement was happy to see that her little cousin was safe. When Belle approached Tintement, she was very shocked because of Tintement's condition.

"Don't worry," Tintement calmly said, "the red spots didn't come from me." Belle didn't say anything, she just bear-hugged her cousin. Tintement almost screamed in pain because of the pressure on her right arm.

"Tintement," Belle said as she released her cousin, "where in the world have you been? What happened to you?"

"To answer the first question," she said, "don't you remember what happened last night?" Belle knew that she didn't, but she did know that she fainted...and there was only one reason behind that, but Belle also didn't have the heart to be honest to Tintement.

"Yes, most of it." Belle said, "Let's get inside and tend to your injuries first."

"I'm not that terribly hurt."

"Then why are you not using your right arm?" Belle asked. Tintement looked back at her right arm, then to Belle and back to her arm.

"All right, all right, I broke it," Tintement finally confessed, "but I am all right." Belle didn't care what else Tintement said, she grabbed her cousin's left arm and dragged her inside the castle. Of course, Tintement was complaining that she was okay, but Belle wouldn't hear any of it. As for Adam, he followed Belle and Tintement back into the castle. He followed them into the foyer, he had never seen Belle in such a frenzy before, but since this was her cousin, he didn't make any excuses. Adam called Mrs. Potts to come and help Belle, but he stayed outside of the foyer, just in case they need to remove Tintement's clothes.

* * *

"I said I'm fine!" Tintement said as Belle tried to clean up her black eye.

"Tintement, for once, be quiet and let me do what I need to do!" Belle said, Tintement was going to say something else, but she flinched when Mrs. Potts straightened her right arm.

"It's not a serious break," Mrs. Potts said, "but we're gonna have to bandage this and to make sure that you don't move it."

"It's hard not to when you're messing with it!" Tintement said, trying to prove her point.

"Hush your mouth, quit complaining and hold still!" Mrs. Potts said, Tintement just groaned and didn't say another word after that. She tried not to scream or yell out in pain when Mrs. Potts wrapped her arm with a thick bandage. Tintement didn't feel any pain from her eye when Belle tried to clean the area, Belle knew that Tintement wouldn't show that she was pain because she believed that it showed weakness.

"There you go," Mrs. Potts said as she finished the bandage, "I'll tie a sling so you won't move that arm. I should also give you some fresh new clothes."

"No thanks." Tintement said.

"Tintement, for once, just accept someone's help or gift when they offer it." Belle said, Tintement looked at her cousin and then to Mrs. Potts.

"All right then." she said as she removed her clothes, "Just don't lose any of them."

"I don't plan to." Mrs. Potts said as she received Tintement's clothes.

* * *

Adam saw Mrs. Potts as she came out of the foyer with Tintement's clothes in her arms.

"Sire," Mrs. Potts said, "this...might be a strange question, but...do you...know who that is?"

"The woman with Belle and you with earlier?" Adam asked, Mrs. Potts nodded 'yes', "Her name is Tintement, she is Belle's cousin."

"Her cousin?" she asked, "My, my, looks like Belle had more family than we thought."

"Yep," he said, "how is she?"

"It's not a serious break in her right arm, but it _is_ a bad one. She gonna have to not move her arm a whole lot and leave it in a sling for at least two to three weeks, possibly four. Her eye should be better in a couple of days. Right now, I'm going to get her some clothes so I could wash these. Whatever in heaven's name she did, it was pretty serious, considering how red these stains are."

"I think we have a pretty good idea what _it_ is." Adam said, Mrs. Potts nodded her head and turned to go wash Tintement's clothes.

* * *

About twenty minutes later, Belle and Tintement came out of the foyer. Tintement was now wearing a silver dress, similar to Belle's green dress.

"I feel silly." Tintement said as she looked at her dress.

"You look wonderful." Maurice said, "The most wonderful that I've ever seen you."

"I think I want my old clothes back." Tintement said, still feeling uncomfortable.

"Don't worry, cousin," Belle said, "you'll get used to them."

"You better be right about that." Tintement said as she looked at the rim of her dress. "Belle, why don't you go do something of your own? I need to talk to Uncle Maurice about something."

"Okay," Belle said, "I know Adam has a few things he wants to get done, but he knows where to find me." Adam smiled at Belle as she went to the library, he knew that's Belle's comfort zone, his comfort zone too when he's with her. Tintement keep an eagle eye (and an owl's ear) on her cousin until she was sure that her cousin was gone, at least far away enough that Belle couldn't hear her.

"Is this about what happened when we left?" Maurice asked, Tintement nodded her head 'yes'.

"I had quite a fight with...Anton." Tintement said as she crossed her arms.

"You saw him?" Maurice asked.

"Yep, he's what I was expecting," she said, "A worthless excuse of a man. He made a laughing stock of himself when I twisted leg which caused his pants to fall down." She laughed. "Made me laugh as well."

"Then...how did you break your arm?" Adam asked, Tintement stared at her right arm.

"He...yanked my arm backwards, enough to break it." she answered, "I decided to get out there at that point, but not without giving him one-last-hard...blow."

"Where did you give it?" Adam asked, Tintement rolled her eyes.

"Son," Maurice said, "she means in the worst possible place a man could get hit."

"Which is?" Adam asked, still not getting the idea.

"We need to have a talk about that." Maurice added, "Anyway, Tintement, you got out of the situation before it escalated?"

"It already was, he wanted to know if I knew Belle and where she was. I wasn't going to give that up, I didn't care if my life was on the line, Belle is more important to me than anything else in my life." Maurice knew that was true, Tintement was more of a sister rather than a cousin to Belle. "I've protected her for so long that...I can't _stop_ protecting her."

"What do you mean?" Adam asked.

"Belle...has gotten herself in trouble a few times and I have to save her." She explained, that's when Maurice asked a question he didn't think to ask her.

"Did...did you know...what Anton did to her?" Tintement raised her head, she had this look of death in her eyes, like she wanted to kill somebody.

"More like what he almost did to her." Tintement answered.

"Almost?" Adam asked, "What do you mean by that?" Maurice's eyes widen.

"Are you telling me that...you were there?" he asked.

"Yes, I was." she answered, "I followed Belle that night, the night is dangerous for a woman when she's alone. I was under Aunt Celia's curse, since it was night, I was in the form of a giant human bat. I stayed in the shadows so nobody could see me, but that night...I'm glad I came out of the shadows! That idiot grabbed her shoulders, pulled her into the shadows and tore the black dress Belle was wearing. Before he actually did anything to her, I came after Anton and bit his neck. He still has the teeth marks I left on his neck." Adam couldn't believe what Tintement was saying, how could a man treat a woman like property? Adam knew that he had once treated Belle badly, but he would never go that far to force her to do something.

"There was much I didn't know about that night because Belle didn't want to tell me," Maurice said, "now I know the rest of it. I just wished that I was there that night."

"There wasn't much you could do, Uncle Maurice, Anton was much stronger than you and since I was under that spell, I was more stronger than him. I had to fight him." Adam couldn't stand what Tintement was saying, Tintement could sense that Adam and Maurice didn't want to hear anymore. "I think we've had enough of me talking, Belle said that you have some business to take care of."

"I do," Adam said, "but first, I promised Belle and Maurice that I would show them Maurice's workshop. I'll go get her."


	11. Belle's Talk With Veronica

"Okay," Belle said, "I know Adam has a few things he wants to get done, but he knows where to find me." She turned and walked towards the stairs, making her way to the library.

As she was walking towards 'her favorite place in the castle', Belle started to think about what had happened during this week...no, the past few weeks. She couldn't believe how much has happened; her beast-turned-prince, her and her cousin's spell removed, her step-grandmother's defeat, Adam proposing to her and, the biggest on of all, knowing that her mother is alive and a sorceress! When Belle started thinking about her mother, she started to think about what her mother said in their conversation they had the night they saw each other.

* * *

_"Since you and Adam are the children of sorceresses, both of you have the choice to learn to become a sorceress or remain being human. Both of you have that choice since you have one parent that's human and the other parent is a sorceress. But I will be honest, you also have a certain amount of time to make that decision."_

_"What happens if we don't make up our mind?" Belle asked._

_"Then your body makes the decision for you," Veronica answered, "whether you like it or not. You still have some time before that happens though."_

* * *

Belle still didn't know what to think, her mother really didn't say how long Belle had to make that decision. But if there's one thing Belle knows...is that she doesn't like somebody else making up her mind for her.

When Belle reached the doors of the library, she walked in and closed the door behind her. She was all alone in the library, she took out the rainbow stone her mother gave her. Ever since Veronica gave that stone to Belle, she's been wearing around her neck during the day and at night. She walked over to the couch that Adam and her would sit next to each other while one of them reads to the other. Belle sat down on the couch, held the rainbow stone in both hands and closed her eyes.

"Hello again, my beautiful daughter." Belle opened her eyes, almost expecting her mother to be in front of her...but she wasn't. "I'm behind you." Belle turned around, there was Veronica with her arms and hands in the top of the couch. Veronica was a little...concerned because of the frown on her daughter's face. "My daughter that I love so much," Veronica said as she stood up, "what's wrong?"

"The talk we had-" Belle said in a soft voice, "is affecting a lot more than I thought." The motherly instincts started to come back to Veronica as she walked around the couch and walked up to Belle. Instead of seeing Belle, Veronica kept seeing the ten-year-old Belle was when she last saw her.

"Belle, I didn't mean to make you feel torn," Veronica said, "but I knew it was something that you had to know."

"That's the only thing I _do _know!" Belle said, "There's nothing else I know about you, what do you expect?" Tears started down her face, Veronica didn't know what to feel. Veronica wanted to let Belle know about this certain part of her, but she was still keeping it refrained from her daughter. Veronica couldn't help herself anymore, she gently grabbed Belle's shoulders, pulled her daughter towards herself and hugged Belle. Belle didn't know what to think, she wasn't expecting her mother to do this.

"I've been holding this from you because I was trying to protect you." Veronica said, "But...you're now old enough to understand...I hope."

"I'm nineteen, mother." Belle said, "I've read so many fairy-tales and fables about magic beings such as you...and Lydia. So whatever you need to tell me, say it!"

"All right," Veronica said, "Sit down first." Belle sat down on the couch, her mother sat next to her. Veronica took a deep breath before speaking.

"Lydia and I aren't...the usual magical beings in your stories...or like Rouge. Just like other sorceresses, we harness our own power, but Lydia and I are called 'Mythical Fauna Creatures'.

"Doesn't 'Fauna' mean...'Animals'?"

"It does," Veronica answered, "this form that you see me in, this magic sorceress form...isn't what I truly look like. When I have my black hair and green eyes, that's my human form. I can't use my powers in that form. This form that I'm in now allows me to use my powers, but not all of them. My real life form...allows me to control all of my powers...but I can't reveal my true form without striking fear in people's hearts."

"You're that scary?" Belle asked.

"I wouldn't call myself 'scary', 'big' yes, but 'scary' no." Veronica said, "Lydia is a different story, she's scary every time she gets angry or mad."

"Can I...see your true form?" Belle asked, Veronica was very surprised.

"Belle, I wouldn't be able to fit in this library." she explained, "My head would either go through the ceiling or I wouldn't be able to move any part of my body."

"Well, at least give me an idea what you look like...your 'real' form." Veronica wasn't sure about telling Belle about her true form.

"Belle, I don't think that's a wise idea."

"I've heard worse from my books," Belle said, "and I've seen worse monsters." Veronica raised an eyebrow when she heard Belle say 'I've seen worse monsters'.

"All right," Veronica said, "have you heard of a fire bird?"

"Sounds familiar." Belle said as she got up from the couch, she pulled out a mythology book. Belle flipped through numerous pages until she found a picture of a fire bird. "Quite a powerful creature."

"They are," Veronica said, "my true form looks like a giant-sized fire bird, but in different colors in the rainbow."

"You never really explained what 'your kind' does." Belle said as she closed her book.

"Mythical Fauna Creatures have a certain kind of animal for their true forms, mythical and non-mythical." Veronica explained, "We always use our powers for good and help humans, our main powers come from nature."

"Like yours?"

"Yep, color is all around us, so is light." Veronica answered, "We get the rest of our powers from reading other sorcery books and learning as much as we can from Lady Temps."

"So Lady Temps rules over every kind of magic being?" Belle asked.

"Yes, but we all respect her because she adores us and makes sure that everyone is safe, including the children that are half-human. Lady Temps doesn't care about the part, she sees everyone whole, not half, not one-fourth nor one-eighth."

"You mean...there are others...like me and...Adam?" Belle watched her mother close her eyes and raised her head to the ceiling. "Mother?"

"There are." Veronica answered.

"Why do you sound so...uncertain?" Belle asked, now small tears started to fall from Veronica's eyes, which were turning blue.

"This is the real reason I didn't want to tell you about me." she said, "In the past, children who had a human parent and the other was a magic being didn't want anything to do with their powerful parent. They would ignore them and refused to listen to them, they chose to remain human because..."

"Because why, mama?"

"...they exiled their magical mother or father, they didn't care it was their parent." Veronica answered, "Many of the magical beings that had that happened to them killed themselves. They didn't see the point of living when their most precious treasure in the world didn't want them in their lives anymore." Now Belle understood why her mother was so resistant about telling her the truth. "But Belle, don't let me stand in the way of your decision. If you want to stay human, then I'll respect that choice. I'll also respect the choice about you becoming sorceress, but as I said, it's your choice." Belle knew that there was honesty in her mother's voice, Belle no longer felt torn about the decision.

"There is one thing I do need to ask." Belle said.

"I'm listening." Veronica said.

"If I do become a sorceress...will I be able to protect myself and my family more?"

"Absolutely!" Veronica answered, Belle didn't show it, but she was relieved to hear that answer. "Another reason Mythical Fauna Creatures are so powerful, not only do we use our powers to help others, we also use our powers to protect the ones we love, especially our families."

"Mother...thank you." Belle said, Veronica had a little confusion on her face.

"For what?" she asked, Belle only smiled and said,

"For being my mother." Veronica was turning a tickled pink, not only her face. Her eyes, head, hair and robes were turning into a very tickled pink. Belle just giggled to herself, "I just hope that I don't change colors like you do."

Just then, there was a knock on the library doors. Belle and Veronica were very worried, they didn't want the servants to see Veronica. Before Belle said anything, Veronica just bolted up the stairs to the next level of the library. Belle just slowly made her way to the library door, but the doorknob twisted and the door opened.

Belle couldn't believe it, it was Adam that came into the library. She got worried over nothing, she felt a little silly.

"Thanks heavens it's only you, Adam." Belle said.

"Who else would you know would come into the library on their own without announcing themselves?" Adam asked as he was closed the library door. "Why are you relieved to know that it was me?"

"Because I'm in here." Adam looked up to see Veronica descending down the stairs, he looked back at Belle.

"We got a little worried that you may have been one of the servants." Belle said.

"Well, _that's_ understandable." Adam said as Veronica came over to them, he was still a little nervous being around Belle's mother. Veronica could sense the tension from Adam, she can tell that he was very nervous being around her. "Well, I came to come get Belle so I could show her, her father and cousin the workroom that Mrs. Potts gave away." Belle was giggling to herself, she knew that Adam was a little disappointed that Mrs. Potts gave away the surprise. She looked at Adam again, that's when she noticed that he was staring right at her mother. Belle looked at her mother, she was giving Adam a very strange look.

"Mother?" Belle said, Veronica still didn't move. Belle grabbed her mother's shoulder and shook her, "Mother!" Veronica snapped out of it and looked at her daughter.

"Sorry, I was thinking about something else." Veronica said, "You better get downstairs, I think your father and that cousin of yours have waited long enough. I have my own matters to attain to."

"All right," Belle said as she looked at Adam. "Let's go, I can't want to see this!" Belle grabbed Adam's hand and pulled him out of the library.


	12. Courage

"Wow, this is huge!" Maurice said as he looked around the workroom. Nothing could express how large the workroom was, Belle, Maurice and Tintement looked all around the place while Adam was standing by the workroom door. There were large windows for ventilation, the walls were made with hard rough rock and it big enough to hold multiple horses.

"Adam, how did you get such a large room?" Belle asked as she looked at him.

"It was originally built as indoor horse stables," Adam answered, "but my mother couldn't stand the foul odor coming up from the ventilation shafts, so the servants built a another set of stables that were separated from the castle. Once the stables were built, the horses were taken out of here and this room was cleaned multiple times to get rid of the smell."

"I believe that." Tintement said, looking at the ventilation windows, "It must've stunk down here!"

"It did," Adam said, "Mother wouldn't allow me or herself down here until this place was cleaned out, which took about a month."

"So...what was this place used for after the horses were moved out?" Belle asked, she saw Adam frown when she asked that.

"Mother...never figured out what she was going to do with it." He basically said, Belle figured that Lydia died before she made up her mind about that.

"Well...at least it's being used now." Belle said, trying to make Adam feel better. Adam could see that she was trying, he smiled at the response.

"Well, I only told the servants to bring your tools in here, Maurice." Adam said as he looked over at his future father-in-law, "We weren't sure if you wanted the furniture in here or not. There are sketchbooks and charcoal over on that desk."

"I can see that." Maurice said excitedly, Belle (and Tintement) could see that her father was getting very excited to get started.

"Papa, we can see you want to get started with everything." Belle said, "So why don't you go back to the parlor and tell everyone you want the furniture in here...just leave mother's rocking chair alone!"

"Don't worry, dear," Maurice said, "I don't plan to mess with that and you're right, I'll go back to the parlor." Maurice left as soon as he said that, Belle just shook her head in the air.

"Haven't seen him this excited for quite sometime." Tintement said.

"You can say that again." Belle said, "At least this time we won't have to worry about any explosions he'll have."

"Explosions?" Adam asked as his eyes got big.

"Don't worry, Adam," Belle said to calm him down, "there are only very little ones. There isn't much to worry about!" Adam breathed a sigh of relief.

"Little huh?" Tintement asked, "They better be little, we don't want a repeat of what he did to Aunt Veronica's basement." Belle almost giggled because she remembered what her mother told her about that day.

"What?" Adam asked.

"Well, this happened before I was born," Belle said, "but mama always talked about this incident to prove her point to my father. My father was working on an invention that could cut hair, but he put in the wrong kind of fuel for it and...the machine exploded."

"It was bad enough to create a hole in the basement ceiling," Tintement said, "which was also the kitchen floor, almost right where Aunt Veronica was standing. Too bad I wasn't there, I would've burst out laughing."

"Was your mother angry?" Adam asked.

"Yes," Belle said laughing, "she was more mad than a wolf losing its dinner. Mama wouldn't allow him to build anymore inventions until he fix the kitchen floor and the stove. Turns out the explosion also melted a part of the stove. He fixed the floor, but he had to buy a new stove because he couldn't fix the stove."

"He better not do anything like that." Tintement added as she was about to lift her right arm, but she forgot about the sling. She quickly put her arm back in its position in the sling, "Both of us will have his head if the servants don't get to it first."

"If you like, Tintement," Adam said, "I can take you to your room in the castle so you can rest your arm."

"Mrs. Potts said you should take it easy with that arm." Belle added.

"I know," Tintement said, "I'm not used to doing what others tell me what to do. Even with this busted arm of mine, I can still do what I can do. I don't need special treatment."

"But you sleeping outside and working with heavy things **aren't** going to help!" Belle urged, Tintement rolled her eyes and said;

"Do you have to make your point about everything?"

"Not everything, but with you, yes." Adam certainly didn't want to get between Belle and Tintement, they didn't need his input. It didn't take long for Belle to win the argument, Tintement finally said 'fine' after twenty seconds of talking.

* * *

After that little scuffle between Belle and Tintement, Adam showed Tintement her room. It was a little smaller than Belle's, not by much, and was covered in green and silver. Tintement walked in and closed the door behind her.

"I wished she gave you a 'thank you'." Belle said, shaking her head.

"It's all right," Adam said as he started walking down the hall, "I'm starting to get used to your cousin's way of...'manners'."

"I was wondering," Belle said, following her fiancee, "since we got everything done today, with all our packing and putting things away, maybe we could spend some time in the library?" She knew that there was some matters that Adam had to attain to, but she missed reading with him so much. Out of nowhere, Adam grabbed her waist and spun her around twice. When he was done, their faces were no more than a breath apart.

"Believe me, Belle," he said smiling, "even I wanted to spend time with you rather anything else. I would love that more than anything, just...let me do one thing and...I'll meet you in the library." Belle just grabbed his shoulders and kissed his right cheek.

"I'll meet you there then," she said, "just don't forget." Adam released Belle as she started her way down the hall. Belle's hand slowly slid out of his own, he continued to watch Belle until she turned around a corner.

* * *

"Can I do this?" Adam asked himself as he walked into the West Wing. He wasn't sure if he had the courage to write a letter to his cousin, Sagittarius. "I haven't heard from him in twelve years. What if...what if he doesn't want to talk to me?" He was starting to doubt himself, he didn't even know if his cousin was even alive. Sagittarius is ten years older than himself. "He would be 31 this year, he's probably starting to look his age." Adam said as he sat down in an armchair in front of his fireplace. He couldn't help but doubt himself about Sagittarius. He didn't want him in his life anymore because of, what might have been, an accident.

Adam's eyes wandered over to the table that the rose was, the rose and glass dome was still covered by his white handkerchief. He got out of his chair and walked over to the table. He pulled off the handkerchief, the rose was still the way Rouge left it, alive with sparkles falling off the petals like water. Adam started to remember that horrible Christmas, that night he became...the Beast. He also remembered how much he wanted Sagittarius there, he wanted him so much.

"I made such foolish mistakes." Adam said to himself as he stared at the rose, "I wonder if...Sagittarius...still thinks of me." A tear escaped from his eyes as he placed his hands on the table. Just then, there was a green glow that caught his attention.

Adam opened his eyes and saw that the glow was coming from the enchanted mirror. It was starting to do its magic, Adam grabbed the handle as the mirror started to fog up. He watched the fog disappear, his big blue eyes widen as the mirror showed him...his cousin.

Sagittarius was sitting in an armchair in front of a fire as he was looking at something in his lap. Adam couldn't believe it as he stared at the picture, Sagittarius was alive! He also couldn't believe how Sagittarius looked, he didn't look like he aged at all! Sagittarius still had his black hair and his dark indigo eyes, that he inherited from his father. Adam started to recognize what was in his cousin's lap, it made him start to cry. What Sagittarius had in his lap...was a scrapbook.

Adam made that scrapbook for his cousin because of how much they missed each other when they were apart. It was also the last thing Sagittarius got from Adam before Lydia, Adam's mother, passed away. Adam saw tears falling from his cousin's face as he flipped through pages of the scrapbook. When Sagittarius closed the book, he held it to his chest and looked up at the ceiling.

"Oh Adam," Sagittarius said, Adam couldn't believe it as he listened to his cousin, "this is all my fault. Why did she had to come and ruin our lives?"

_'She?'_ Adam thought, _'Who's she?'_ Adam didn't remember a girl being around when he was living in his cousin's castle.

"I can only hope that you're safe and...happy." Sagittarius continued to speak, "Oh, what am I saying? Adam hasn't seen me in so long, he probably doesn't want me in his life anymore. I figured that out when he threw that table at us." Adam couldn't stand it anymore, he put the mirror face-down on the table. The magic faded away when he put the mirror down.

"I want you in my life now, Sagittarius." Adam said as he raised his head, "I'm going to prove it to you now!"

* * *

Belle waited quite sometime for Adam, she really hoped that she could spend some time with him...alone...before the day was out. She sighed as she held a book in her hand, it was 'Romeo and Juliet', the same book Adam was trying to read back to her when he was still a Beast. Belle greatly missed how she and Adam would spend so much time together, she knew that she had to get used to it since Adam is trying to receive his role as 'prince'.

Belle stated to remember when Adam confessed to her that he couldn't read. Nothing could express how Belle felt for Adam, she couldn't let Adam feel beneath her. She helped him regain his reading abilities, he was starting to get better before...the night she left. The memory was very painful for Belle because...she still felt like it was her fault that Adam almost died. Belle laid across the couch and closed her eyes, trying to push the horrible memories away. She couldn't stop the tears that escaped her eyes, she didn't like the fact that she would start crying when such horrible memories would enter into her mind.

"Belle, are you okay?" Belle opened her eyes, she saw Adam leaning over the couch. She quickly wiped her eyes away as she sat back up, Adam came around the couch and sat down next her.

"I was starting to think you weren't going to come down." Belle said as she smiled and wiped the rest of the tears away. Belle could see the small bit of concern on Adam's face. "Don't worry, Adam, I'm fine." Adam knew that Belle was telling him that so he wouldn't be worried, it was hard for him not to be worried every time he sees his beautiful Belle cry. He decided to let it go...this time.

"All right." Adam said, Belle pulled out the book and opened it where Adam left off.


	13. A Dilemma

**I hope everyone is enjoying the story and the holidays! Keep up the reviews! I'm sure that you've noticed a few lines missing, I'm trying to fix that.  
**

* * *

"Lydia!" Veronica shouted as she went through the mansion, that she, Lydia and Rouge share. Veronica had to find Lydia because this was a very important matter they had to discuss.

"Veronica, is that you?" Veronica was really hoping that it was Lydia's voice she heard, but she knew better. She saw Rouge running down the stairs. "Veronica, what's wrong?"

"Please tell me if you know where Lydia is!" Veronica said desperately.

"Lydia's with Lady Temps." Rouge answered, "Empress needed to discuss something with her."

"Why?" Veronica said running around the front entrance like a chicken with its head cut off, "Out of all days to be gone!"

"Veronica, slow down! What's the problem?"

"Lydia didn't tell him!" Veronica said still running around, "Why did she not say anything?" Veronica's behavior was starting to get on Rouge's nerves. Rouge stuck her leg out, Veronica didn't see it so she ended up getting tripped. Veronica fell face-first into the carpet.

"For heaven's sake, Veronica," Rouge said, raising her voice, "will you calm down and tell me what's the problem?" Veronica knew that running all over the place and getting worried wasn't going to help the situation. She stood back up and brushed off anything that was sticking to her rainbow robes. "Now, tell me what's going on that's got you so flustered."

"Lydia didn't tell Adam about being able stay as a human or become a sorcerer." Veronica said, "When I went to see Belle, I also saw Adam. When I did, I smelled that smell that signals others that his transformation is going to happen."

"Why didn't you tell him anything?" Rouge asked.

"It's not my responsibility!" Veronica urged, "Adam is Lydia's son, it's _her_ responsibility to tell him these things. Right now, Adam doesn't have much time before the transformation happens!"

"How much time...do you think he has?" Rouge asked.

"Considering how strong the smell was," Veronica said, "I got to say...at least a day, maybe less than that. I've got to find Lydia!"

"You know as much as I do that you can't interrupt a discussion with Lady Temps, no matter how urgent it is." Rouge said.

"What is Lydia talking to her about?" Veronica asked.

"Even I don't know," Rouge said, "she left here in two snips of a lamb's coat as soon as she heard that Empress needed to talk to her. It must've been pretty serious to have left without telling me what it's was."

"Well, Lydia better get back soon!" Veronica urged.

"Does 'now' work for you?" Veronica and Rouge turned to the front doors, there was Lydia coming into the mansion and closing the door behind her. Lydia looked very irritated, upset and disappointed.

"About time you're here," Veronica said as she walked up to Lydia, "there's a big problem."

"Yes, I know!" Lydia said.

"I doubt that you do!" Veronica urged, "It's about your son!"

"As I said, I already know!" Lydia shouted, Veronica and Rouge took a step back. Lydia was very fearful to be around when she's was angry, mad or upset. As usual, Lydia felt bad for raising her voice at her friends...again. "Sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No, don't. I'm the one who should be saying sorry." Veronica interrupted, "I rushed in on you about something important and I find out that you already know."

"It's not the first time you've done that." Lydia said, "Now, before we lose track, I might as well hear what you have to say."

"Okay," Veronica calmly said, "I went to see Belle because she wanted to talk to me about...what we are. Just then, there was a knock at the door, it was Adam! When he came in...Oh my heavens...I could smell that vanilla transformation smell from anywhere! I got to say that Adam has a day or less until it actually happens!"

"Yes, that's exactly what I was talking to Lady Temps about." Lydia said.

"Lady Temps knows...about this?" Veronica asked.

"Wait a minute," Rouge said, "what did you mean _vanilla_ transformation smell?"

"Please don't ask us _why_," Lydia said, "when we go through our metamorphosis to become a full-blown Fauna Creature, we give off a certain smell. The boys give off a vanilla scent and the girls give off a chocolate scent. Only we can smell it, humans can't smell it."

"Don't ask us why," Veronica said again, "even we don't know. Anyway, that's how strong that vanilla smell is, Adam needs to know that he can stay a human if he wants."

"He can't." Lydia basically said.

"Adam doesn't have to be a sorcerer because you want him to," Veronica urged, "it's _his_ choice!"

"No, I meant he doesn't have that choice!" Lydia said.

"What do you mean?" Veronica asked, Lydia looked over at Rouge with a frustrated look. Rouge just hid herself behind one of the doors nearby.

"It's...a little hard to explain," Lydia said as she looked back at Veronica, "Lady Temps called for me when she found out herself."

"She knows everything before we do." Veronica said.

"Yes, exactly," Lydia continued, "she told me that...because of what Rouge did to Adam, his body has gotten used to being surrounded by magic."

"Whoa, back up!" Veronica quickly said, "What do you mean 'because of what Rouge did to Adam'?"

"Belle...didn't...tell you." Lydia said.

"No, there were a few times where she said she knew something," Veronica added, "but she wouldn't tell me anything because she says 'she made a promise'."

"ROUGE!" Lydia shouted, "Get your behind over here!" Rouge slowly came from behind the door and walked over to Veronica and Lydia. There was a lot of fear in her face as she stopped between her two friends. "Care to tell Veronica what you did to my son?" Lydia calmly said, Rouge gulped before she spoke. She still felt uneasy talking about what she did to Lydia's son.

"Well," Rouge said in a very nervous voice, "I was roaming through the lands until I seen the behavior of...his highness. I...sense the hatred and sadness in his heart, but I couldn't allow him to get worse so..."

"Don't tell me you cursed a sorceress' son!" Veronica said as her face dropped.

"She did, it was my son!" Lydia said as she raised her voice.

"If I'd known he was your son, I wouldn't have cursed him in the first place!" Rouge said as she defended herself, "Neither of you told me that you had children! If I had known Adam was your son, I would've done something else!" Lydia and Veronica knew that Rouge had a point, they didn't tell Rouge about Belle and Adam, but the two of them had to protect their children since they were the guardians of the Clarinet of Life.

"We do see that point, Rouge," Veronica said, "but because we were the guardians of the Clarinet of Life, we had to keep our families a secret."

"I thought the two of you trusted me!" Rouge said.

"We do, Rouge." Lydia said, "but you didn't understand what we had to do to protect our families. You turning my son into a beast didn't help!"

"You turned Adam into a beast?" Veronica asked.

"He didn't have any love in his heart," Rouge said, "I matched his outside appearance to his heart, so yes, he became a beast. You know better than I do that it's our jobs to make sure that there's goodness in the human world. We may not be able to change everyone, but changing one heart is better than nothing! After I cursed his highness, I kept my eye on him because I surrounded the castle in fog and guarded the castle with wolves. When I realized that Adam was running out of time, I sent the wolves to scare Maurice over to the castle. It wasn't the best idea, but it was a way to get Belle there to break the spell. Another thing we both know is that we also help the humans we cursed!"

Lydia was a little surprised by what Rouge said, she didn't picture Rouge as someone who would help a monster, she sighed and slapped her forehead.

"I suppose...you have a point," Lydia said, "but I can't help but be frustrated that you did that."

"I know that." Rouge said, "I had to do it or...he wouldn't be the person he is today. Adam would've become...that man you hate mentioning so much." Rouge knew that was a sensitive subject, but she knew that's would've happened if she hadn't interfered.

Lydia knew that would've been true...because Rouge has the ability to see what would've happened in the future if she didn't place her curses. Tears started to fall from Lydia's face, knowing that her son was suffering so much without someone loving him.

When Rouge saw the tears falling from Lydia's eyes, she grabbed a tissue and gave it to Lydia. She gently took it from Rouge's hand and wiped her face.

"Lydia," Veronica said, now deciding to speak up, "Adam is going to need you now since...well, because of what you told us."

"I know he is," Lydia said, "but...I need to wait until Lady Temps says I can."

"Wait for what?" Veronica asked.

"Because of the unique...situation that's happened, Lady Temps took it upon herself to tell Adam what's happening. Believe me, I didn't want her to do that because...it was my job as his mother to tell him."

"Then why is Lady Temps going to tell him?" Rouge asked.

"Because..." Lydia sighed, "because she knows that I don't have the heart to disappoint my son by telling him that he'll soon be a Mythical Fauna Creature."

"Hmm, well...if something like that happen to me with my daughter," Veronica said, "I wouldn't have the heart to tell her either." Suddenly, a black jewel that was around Lydia's waist started to shimmer and glow.

"Hmm, looks like Adam needs you." Veronica said.

"I better go then." Lydia said, she started to spin around in a circle and sparkles started to cover her, then in a red flash of light, Lydia was gone.

* * *

**My heavens, this was a hard chapter to write. Make sure you tell me what you think! I'm also letting my readers know that I'm going to fall behind on updating chapters because I'm getting ready for the holidays myself, so don't get on my case to 'update soon'.  
**


	14. Knowing

"Sweet dreams, Adam." Belle said as she stood at her bedroom door, Adam was standing in front of her.

"Sweet dreams...my beloved." Adam said as he tucked Belle's hair back. Belle's face started to blush when her fiancee did that. After that, Adam turned towards the West Wing as Belle closed her bedroom door. Adam's heart always skipped a beat whenever he pushed Belle's hair back. Even though he was human for more than a week, it was still very strange for him feeling things with human skin, like brushing his fingers through Belle's hair.

He still could picture the look on Belle's face when he changed back into a human. Adam started to remember the night the spell broke as he walked up the stairs to the West Wing.

* * *

_Adam woke up from a groggy sleep, he was about to rub the sleep from his eyes...until he caught sight of his paws, they were now hands, human hands! He quickly stood up on his human legs and stared at his hands, turning them over to make sure that he wasn't imagining things. It wasn't a dream, he was human! But...but how?  
_

_Belle! Adam quickly turned around hoping that she was there. She was still there on the balcony, with her hands slowly removing themselves from her mouth. Despite that she was very shocked, Adam thought that Belle never looked more beautiful. _

_"Belle," Adam said, he was surprised by his voice as he raised his arms to his chest. His voice seemed to come from such a smaller chest than that of the Beast's. "It's me." Adam reached out and held Belle's hand, he felt Belle almost pulling her hand away. Adam also saw doubt appear on his love's face, he really hoped that she could see that he is the Beast, but how? Belle reached out and touched a lock of his rusty hair, which was now a little below his shoulders, but Adam knew that wasn't enough to convince Belle. He was about to say something to her...until her eyes met his own. Adam saw the smile appear on Belle's face as she touched his cheek with her hand.  
_

_"It is you." Belle said, nothing could express how happy Adam was when he heard that. If he still had his tail, he probably would've wagged it. He brushed his human fingers through Belle's hair, Adam couldn't believe how soft it was...still is, but nothing could express how Adam felt when he first kissed Belle. When their lips met, it was like lightning went through his body. He felt the wind encircling them, it made him hold her closer to him. Adam wrapped his arms around Belle's waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck.  
_

* * *

Adam closed the door behind him as he remembered that sweet kiss, he thought he would never see Belle's sweet face after...he was dying from that stab wound. Adam didn't care about anything else, he was just happy to have seen Belle one more time, but he was deceived...but it was a good deceive. Adam closed his eyes and raised his hand to his own heart as he remembered that one sweet kiss.

"Remembering memories of the past?" asked a female voice.

"The good ones." Adam answered calmly at first, but when he realized that there was someone in his room, he quickly snapped his eyes open. He looked around his room, there, lying on his bed, was Lady Temps!

"Hello again, your highness." Lady Temps said, Adam was, once again, very worried. He remembered that Lady Temps was the sorceress of time and the empress of his mother's home. She also was the one that brought Veronica and Lydia back from the dead and erased their memories of their families in the human world. He also remembered the promise he made to Lady Temps, that he wouldn't tell anyone about the world of magic. Adam swallowed his nervousness and spoke.

"W-w-w-why are you...here?" He asked, Lady Temps quickly sat up and got off his king-sized bed. Adam couldn't help being afraid, he already knew what Rouge was capable of, but he didn't know what Lady Temps could do. He started to walk away from the door and walked backwards.

"Adam, stop," Lady Temps said, "you're going to-" Just then, Adam fell backwards, he landed flat on his back. He quickly got up and saw that he tripped over his footrest that was next to his armchair. "I tried to warn you." Lady Temps added as she gave Adam her hand. He was still apprehensive about Lady Temps...and she could sense it, but he didn't want to disrespect her. He grabbed her hand and she helped him get back on his feet. When Adam got back up on his feet, he quickly brushed off his shirt. "You don't have to act so fancy with me, Adam." Lady Temps said.

"I can't help it," Adam said, "You are an empress and the one thing I do remember about royalty is that an empress...and an emperor...are a much higher rank than a prince and king." Lady Temps just smiled, she knew Adam meant well, even though he was still nervous and a little afraid of her.

"Well, around me, your highness," she said, "you don't have to do all that fancy stuff. I don't mind it too much."

"I'll...keep that in mind." he said, "You...uh...still haven't answered my question. Why are you here?"

"Ah, yes," Lady Temps said as she clapped her hands together, "I'm here to discuss something that I know that your mother won't talk about with you." Adam was a little surprised about that Lady Temps was going to do this.

"You didn't have to do this," Adam said, "I'll get her to tell me."

"Trust me, Lydia won't discuss it." she added, "In fact, no sorcerer or sorceress wants to discuss something like this if this happened to their child."

"What do you mean?" he asked very nervously, "Are you referring to the spell that...I was under for...ten years?"

"It involves that." Lady Temps then sighed, "You need to sit down, I don't want you to collapse on your feet." Adam decided to heed her words, he walked over to his armchair and sat down. Lady Temps, with her magic, made a white cushion chair appear. She then sat down in the chair as she started to speak.

"Adam," she started, "since you were born with a human parent and a sorceress for the other, you would usually have the choice to remain as a human or learn magic and become a sorcerer. But..." Lady Temps sighed, "this is one of a few times that has happened, but since you were cursed for so long, your body is now used to having magic surrounding it and having it go through your body. So because of that...you no longer have the choice to remain human." Adam couldn't believe what he had heard, he leaned backwards in his chair.

Seeing Adam's reaction, Lady Temps almost understood why Lydia didn't want to tell him. She didn't say anything more after seeing his reaction. As for Adam, he couldn't believe what he heard, he finally becomes a human after ten long years of being a beast and now...he's told that he doesn't have choice between being a human and a sorcerer. He sat back straight in his armchair and looked at Lady Temps with a concerning look.

"Are you saying that I'll never be human again?" Adam asked, trying to hold tears back. Before Lady Temps said anything, she pulled out some tissues out of her little purse around her waist and gave them to Adam.

"I'm not saying that at all," Lady Temps responded, "I'm going to start at the beginning so that you can understand a little more. What Veronica and Lydia are a rare kind of sorceress called 'Mythical Fauna Creatures', where the two forms you've seen were really disguises." Adam eyes grew wide, if his mother looked like a beautiful human, then...what did she truly look like? "Mythical Fauna Creatures get their true forms and their powers from nature...and a few lessons that I would teach them. Your mother, Lydia, gets her powers from the porcupine and her true form looks like a human covered in black, red, blue and purple spikes, spines and quills."

"So, in other words...a human porcupine." Adam said.

"Almost," she said, "anyway, back to what I was saying, since...this is going to happen, you're going to have two forms instead of three like your mother. You'll have your sorcerer/human form which will look exactly the way you look now, so you won't lose that." Adam felt relieved hearing that, he won't have to look like a monster for the rest of his life like he feared most. "Then there's your true form, that will be the form that can control certain magic you may develop and use only in that form. To become a sorcerer, you're going to be transforming into your true form for a couple of days."

"W-why didn't...my mother tell me this?" Adam asked.

"I'm going to let Lydia answer that." Lady Temps said.

"So how long do you think this is going to happen?"

"Well, by that strong scent that you're producing, it's going to happen tonight."

"Scent?" Adam asked, raising an eyebrow, "I don't smell anything."

"That's because your human nose can't smell it." she added, "Your nose isn't as sensitive as mine, Rouge's or Lydia's, at least not yet. There is one thing I need to test."

"What's that?" he asked.

"First thing though, get your mother here. I need to speak to her." Adam didn't hesitate with Lady Temps' request, he also wanted to discuss this with his mother. He got up from his armchair and over to his dresser in his closet. He opened one of the drawers near his mirror, he pulled out the black stone that Lydia gave him. Whenever Adam needed her, all he had to do was hold the stone and wished for her. Adam held the stone in both hands and wished for Lydia to appear in his room.

Just then, there was a pop and a bright purple light in the room. Adam walked out of his closet as he saw sparkles appear, the sparkles started to swirl as the light started to take shape of a person spinning in circles. The purple light actually turned into an actual person spinning as the sparkles started to fade away. The person stopped spinning and faced Adam, it was Lydia! Adam saw the look of concern on his mother's face, he knew what was going to happen.

"Adam, what is it?" Lydia asked as she quickly approached him, "Did something happen? Do you need my help?" Adam knew that he wasn't going to get a chance to tell her, so he basically pointed over at Lady Temps. When Lydia saw that pointed finger, she raised her head to the ceiling and clapped her hands together. "Empress...you're here."

"Of course I am." Lady Temps said as she got up, Lydia quickly turned around. Adam just quickly went inside his closet, he didn't want to be a part of this.

"Go ahead and say it, Empress." Lydia said, "It's not like we haven't discussed this since about an hour ago."

"Calm yourself, Lydia." Lady Temps said, "I already got on your nerves about this, I don't need to do it again. I just want to say that...you should stay here during this 'sensitive' time."

"I wouldn't call it sensitive," Lydia said, "but I'm not going to say more about that. I do think that I should stay here for Adam, but...I'm more worried about the servants if they find out about something, especially if Belle comes in here all the time and Adam can't leave!" Lady Temps put on a very sly smile, Lydia knew that she was going to do something. "I don't even want to know what's going in your head, Empress."

"I'll take care of that part," Lady Temps said, "you just stay here and be that mother you haven't been in a very long time. First things first, we have to do something to show that it's going to happen."

"Adam," Lydia groaned, "can you come here for a minute?" The closet door slowly opened as Adam peeked through, he was worried about what was going to happen. When he completely came out of the closet, he saw Lady Temps with a match in her hand. Adam was very nervous as he walked up to the women. Lady Temps laid the match on her belt and struck it. She raised the burning match up to Adam's face.

When Adam saw the light, he felt something that he never felt before. He didn't want to be anywhere near the light, he quickly closed his eyes, raised his hand and carefully backed away from the light.

"It doesn't take much," Lady Temps said as she blew out the match, "you're going to have to cover every bit of light that can get in here, Lydia."

"Yes, ma'am." Lydia said.

"Good," Lady Temps said, "you know what to do if you need my help." Lady Temps raised her fist and threw down something from her hand onto the ground where she was standing. A white powder came up from the ground and engulfed Lady Temps, when the usual smoke that powder makes disappeared, so did Lady Temps. Lydia looked over at her son, she felt bad that this choice was taken from him.

"Adam," Lydia said, "I'm...sorry...about everything." Tears were starting to form in her eyes, but she wiped them away before they had the chance to fall. Adam saw the same look on his mother's face when she realized she shot him when his father was killed. Adam just walked up to his mother and just hugged her. Lydia didn't want to believe what her son was doing, she didn't think that her son wouldn't forgive her about everything that's happened. Lydia raised her arms and held her son, nothing could express how she felt about everything that's happened to her son.

"Just...stay here until this is over with." was all Adam said.

"I will." Lydia said as she released her son, "Right now, you need some sleep and...we'll take care of what you need in the morning. I'll just be in your armchair near that fireplace." Adam followed his mother's words and went into his closet to change into his pajamas. Once in them, he came out of the closet. Adam saw his mother starting a fire in the fireplace, he was starting to have his reaction to the light again, but Lydia quickly pulled over a dark metal cover before Adam said anything about it.

"Have a good night...mother." Adam said as he climbed into his bed.

"Sleep well, son." Lydia said, Adam just pulled his covers over his head and tried to go to sleep.

* * *

**Merry Christmas (early)! It won't be until after New Year's that I'll put up number 15. So please be patient! **


	15. A Nightmare comes true

**HAPPY NEW YEAR'S DAY! GOOD-BYE 2013, HELLO 2014!**

* * *

"What a day." Lumiere said while walking with Cogsworth to the servant quarters.

"You could say that again." Cogsworth said, "Helping Belle and her father with all that furniture! After all that, the master still haven't said anything about contacting that cousin of his!"

"Cogsworth!" Lumiere said, "When the master is ready to do this, he'll tell us. You can't always boss him around about things he needs or should do!"

"Well, he said it himself, the master wants to inherit and accept his family's crown!"

"Let him do what he needs to do!" Lumiere said as he approached the door to his room, "You can't expect him to do everything right after a ten year enchantment." Lumiere walked into his room after saying that last sentence.

As for Cogsworth, he did understand what Lumiere was telling him, but he was more focused on trying to help Adam get outside of the castle.

"Tomorrow, he needs to get busy and send a letter to Sagittarius...if he's alive." Cogsworth said to himself as he headed to his own room. Ever since the spell broke, Cogsworth was starting to act like his old bossy self...just like his own father.

Cogsworth's father, Christophe**,** was in charge of the servants when King Henry Colère, Adam's father, was in control. Christophe taught everything Cogsworth knows because he knew that his son would take his place when Adam came into power. Just like the other servants, Christophe had feared King Henry. Christophe wanted to teach Cogsworth to have a serious attitude so that he wouldn't show how afraid he was.

_'Father didn't do too bad of a job of raising me on his own.' _Cogsworth thought as he entered his room and got ready for bed, _'If mother had lived, she would've had his head for doing her job.' _Cogsworth finally put on the rest of his pajamas, blew out his candle and went to sleep.

* * *

"I can see why she called you a 'stuffed clock'." Cogsworth opened his eyes when he heard a voice. He quickly sat up to see who was there, but...he didn't see anyone. Just then, there was a white light coming from the window. The light flew through the window, into Cogsworth's room and took the form of a woman. Believe it or not, it was Lady Temps that Cogsworth was seeing, but Cogsworth thought Lady Temps was Rouge. Remember, Rouge is the name of the enchantress that cursed Adam to become a Beast and the servants into household objects.

"This is a nightmare!" Cogsworth almost shouted, Lady Temps waved her hand in the air. Cogsworth tried to yell...but nothing came out of his mouth.

"You shout any louder and you'll be waking yourself up!" Lady Temps said, "You're not the only one who's having this dream. In fact, all the servants are having this dream!" Cogsworth tried to get out of his bed, but he couldn't move. He couldn't move his legs because they felt glued to the mattress. "Just hear me out and this will be all over, understand?" Cogsworth just nodded his head, since there was nothing for him to do. "As I just said, I can see why Lydia called you that name." Cogsworth's eyes widen, he was shocked to hear the queen's name. "You'll probably be hearing that name again...because I brought her back from the grave! I also brought Belle's mother, Veronica, back to life as well. You servants deserve to hear the truth, I am a sorceress. Also...Lydia and Veronica are also sorceresses! There's also a very good chance that Belle and Adam will be too." Cogsworth's mouth dropped, he didn't want to believe it. "Make all the silly faces you want, it's the truth." Lady Temps continued with a serious tone, "So...you need to start acting less bossy and let others do what they need to do in their own time! You can't make the decisions for someone else, you can only make your own decisions! Now that you've been quiet for quite some time, do you think you can talk without being so loud?" Cogsworth just nodded 'yes', he wanted to ask a certain question. Lady Temps waved her hand in the opposite direction.

"A-a-a-a-are you going to curse us?" Cogsworth asked.

"Nope," Lady Temps answered, "but I am going to warn you. If you or any of the servants tell anyone _outside_ this castle, you'll be answering to me! Remember what I said, the other servants are having the same dream you are right now! You must never _ever _tell anyone outside these castle walls. If it slips out of anyone's mouth, you will receive a fair punishment!" Cogsworth could tell the seriousness in the woman's voice.

"Y-y-y-y-y-you have my word." Cogsworth calmly said, Lady Temps showed a soft smile. She knew that Cogsworth, even though he was frightened of her, was being honest.

"Good answer." Lady Temps said, "Now...WAKE UP!"

* * *

Cogsworth snapped his eyes awake and sat up like a dime. He quickly lit his candle and looked around his room, there wasn't anybody in his room. Just then, he heard his little clock chime, he looked at his clock. It was saying 7:00, he didn't want to believe the clock. Cogsworth knew he went to bed around 8:30 at night, how could he have that dream? He thought the dream didn't take more than an hour.

_'Maybe...I had it later in the night?' _he thought to himself, _'I need to get ready for today and get everything needed today.'_ Cogsworth shook his head and got dressed. After getting dressed, Cogsworth opened the door, blew out his candle and went off to do his job.

While walking down the hall, Cogsworth looked at his list of things to do. That's when he heard giggling, he rolled his eyes. Cogsworth knew that that giggling belonged to Babette, one of the maids that used to be a feather duster, and the only time that Babette giggles like that is when Lumiere is flirting with her. Cogsworth rolled up his list, up it in his pocket and went around the corner.

There was Lumiere kissing and tickling Babette, Cogsworth shook his head and knocked Lumiere in the head. Lumiere released Babette and grabbed his head.

"Oh _M__onsieur _Cogsworth," Babette said, "We weren't doing anything wrong."

"What I was seeing," Cogsworth said, "is something nobody needs to see."

"We just need a distraction, Cogsworth." Lumiere said, "Babette and I had a very strange dream." Cogsworth's eyes widen, he almost didn't want to believe it.

"What...kind of a dream?" he asked.

"It was almost_ effrayant_, scary as you say." Babette said, "There was this woman dressed in white, telling me that she resurrected the Queen and the Mistress's mother."

"I had the same dream," Lumiere added, "The white woman told me that the master and mistress will become...some kind of magical beings."

"I don't believe it." Cogsworth said, Lumiere looked straight at him.

"You had the same dream too, didn't you?" Lumiere asked, Cogsworth just nodded 'yes'.

"So...it is true." Babette said, "She said all the servants were having the exact dream as we were. We now see it's true, _très_ _vrai_."

"But if it is true," Cogsworth said, "do you think the master and Belle know about this?"

"We don't know," Lumiere said, "but there is a chance they knew all of this before we did."

"We better not tell them!" Babette said quickly, "The woman said not to tell them!"

"No," Lumiere said, "the woman in white said not to tell anyone outside these castle walls. I think we should."

"Even I have to agree with that," Cogsworth said, "Just knowing that she entered everyone's dreams and telling us the same thing, that's enough to know that she might do something very bad to us if we don't do what she asks of us."

"For once, Cogsworth," Lumiere said, "you actually aren't going to push the issue." Cogsworth just looked at his hands.

"Let's just say she told me something that was...an eye-opener. Right now," Cogsworth added, "we just better get everyone together and do our daily chores. If anyone does wonder about the dream, you two tell them not to tell anyone outside the castle." Just then, they heard rustling. They looked around to see where it was coming from, that's when Babette saw a bird at the window.

"Look," she said, "it's Witherspoon!" Babette went over to the window and opened it, Witherspoon flew inside with something in his feet.

"It looks like a letter." Cogsworth said as he gently took the letter from Witherspoon's feet, he examined the front of the letter to see who it's for and where it came from. Lumiere saw shock appear on Cogsworth's face.

"What is it, Cogsworth?" Lumiere asked.

"Who is it for?" Babette asked.

"It's for the master." Cogsworth said, "It's who it came from is what is the most surprising!"

"WHO?" Lumiere and Babette asked, Cogsworth raised his head, looked at them and said;

"Sagittarius!"


End file.
